Addressing the harmful use of alcohol - WHO Western Pacific Region

8.
Regulating alcohol
marketing
Rationale
The advent of sophisticated marketing and the availability of mass media and new technology
(such as the Internet and mobile phones) have allowed a level of alcohol marketing that has
never been seen before. The global alcohol producers have enormous resources to employ
in marketing. This advantage makes the regulation of marketing a major challenge for
governments concerned about the impact of marketing on the rate of uptake of drinking in
traditionally low alcohol communities. This uptake includes the earlier and more widespread
recruitment of younger people and women to drinking. It is also of concern, particularly in
relation to the impact on younger people, in established alcohol markets.
About half of alcohol marketing budgets now goes to non-advertising forms of marketing, such
as sponsorships and direct promotions. In many countries, there is considerable sponsorship
of sports teams and events, and therefore linkage of brands with recreation and excitement.
Alcohol sponsorship of international sports events reaches all countries via satellite or local
television. These international sponsorships are leveraged with local advertising, website
coverage, point-of-sale displays, competitions and branded merchandise, to the extent that
local policy permits.
Research has linked levels of exposure to alcohol marketing to earlier onset of drinking and
heavier drinking among young people. A large body of alcohol research now shows that
children and teenagers, who like ads the most, have more positive beliefs about alcohol, think
their friends drink more frequently, are more likely to drink, to drink larger amounts and to
experience drinking problems at a later age (Babor et al. 2010). Studies in the United States
of America have shown that the exposure of children and young people to alcohol advertising
on radio and television and in magazines is widespread and often greater than that of adults
(Jernigan et al. 2005; Jernigan 2010).
Many WHO member countries have legislation or regulations prohibiting certain kinds of
alcohol advertising, which restricts the amount of commercial messages about alcohol to
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