Alcohol Advertising in Pacific Islands Countries and Territories: A Scoping Review

Introduction: Alcohol has become embedded into the cultural, economic, and social fabric of Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICT); however, it continues to be a neglected health issue for many PICT. This scoping literature review explores current alcohol advertising policies in each PICT. Methods: This review utilises the 'Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses for Scoping reviews' to identify literature on alcohol advertising policies. Twenty-five sources, ranging from 1963 to 2020, form the final data synthesis. Findings: The results of this review reveal that not all PICT have alcohol advertising restrictions in place. Health warning labels as a means of deterring alcohol use are also inconsistent across PICT but aid in consumer decisions. A notable concern in alcohol advertising is the use of culture as a marketing ploy. Conclusion: This review provides essential information on alcohol advertising in PICT. Nine PICT enforce some form of alcohol advertising prohibition, and ten do not. In countries with alcohol advertising, drinking behaviours vary, demonstrating a need for further research on the implementation efforts of current policies. In countries with no alcohol advertising, alcohol use is normalised and portrayed as unproblematic. The use of health warning labels is also not consistent amongst PICT. The use of culture as a marketing ploy is unacceptable as it belittles culture and is disrespectful to leaders. Understanding the alcohol advertising restrictions that work in each PICT can help decrease alcohol consumption and the harms associated with its misuse across all PICT. Keywords: Alcohol, Advertising, Pacific.

An evaluation of the evidence submitted to Australian alcohol advertising policy consultations

Background Industry self-regulation is the dominant approach to managing alcohol advertising in Australia and many other countries. There is a need to explore the barriers to government adoption of more effective regulatory approaches. This study examined relevance and quality features of evidence cited by industry and non-industry actors in their submissions to Australian alcohol advertising policy consultations. Methods Submissions to two public consultations with a primary focus on alcohol advertising policy were analysed. Submissions (n = 71) were classified into their actor type (industry or non-industry) and according to their expressed support for, or opposition to, increased regulation of alcohol advertising. Details of cited evidence were extracted and coded against a framework adapted from previous research (primary codes: subject matter relevance, type of publication, time since publication, and independence from industry). Evidence was also classified as featuring indicators of higher quality if it was either published in a peer-reviewed journal or academic source, published within 10 years of the consultation, and/or had no apparent industry connection. Results Almost two-thirds of submissions were from industry actors (n = 45 submissions from alcohol, advertising, or sporting industries). With few exceptions, industry actor submissions opposed increased regulation of alcohol advertising and non-industry actor submissions supported increased regulation. Industry actors cited substantially less evidence than non-industry actors, both per submission and in total. Only 27% of evidence cited by industry actors was highly relevant and featured at least two indicators of higher quality compared to 58% of evidence cited by non-industry actors. Conclusions Evaluation of the value of the evidentiary contribution of industry actors to consultations on alcohol advertising policy appears to be limited. Modifications to consultation processes, such as exclusion of industry actors, quality requirements for submitted evidence, minimum standards for referencing evidence, and requirements to declare potential conflicts, may improve the public health outcomes of policy consultations.

Cheers! Selling Health and Happiness: Advertising Alcohol in New Zealand, c.1900-1945.

<p>Abstract At the turn of the 20th century New Zealand’s newspapers were filled with advertising material offering information on a wide variety of products. Among these advertisements were those for alcohol, a commodity which the advertisements claimed to have multiple benefits, including those of a restorative and curative nature. This thesis will examine how two product groups, alcoholic beverages claiming medicinal value, and patent medicines containing alcohol, were advertised in selected New Zealand newspapers and magazines during the years 1900-1945. The advertising of these two groups was, in many ways, similar. Both used evocative text and images, with the images changing from drawn illustrations to photographs, and both targeted groups, linking these to specific drinks. For example, tonic wine advertising was aimed at women suffering from psychological distress, while beer and spirit advertisements targeted men and sporting codes, and patent medicine advertisements were designed to attract mothers and those suffering from respiratory illnesses. While both alcohol and patent medicines were subject to legislation this was not always effective. The Quackery Act 1908, which should have impacted on both alcohol and patent medicine advertising had no effect on either group. Patent medicine advertisers however, responded to the Physical Welfare Recreation Act 1937, and the Social Welfare Act 1938 with images of active, healthy children. The Medical Advertisements Act 1942 impacted immediately on alcohol advertising. but was not as successful with patent medicines. Both groups had significant changes affecting their advertising. For example, patent medicine advertising was dramatically altered by the discovery of vitamins. This, to a large extent, moved the impetus of many of these advertisements from illness to health. Two factors influenced alcohol advertising: the first being Prohibition Referenda which saw the emergence of advertising focused on placing alcohol in the household medicine chest. This highlighted the use of alcohol as a commodity commonly used in the home for medical and other emergencies and these advertisements informed readers of what could be lost if prohibition were passed. The second, and most significant change came about with the Medical Advertisements Act 1942 when any mention of cure or relief became unlawful.</p>

Cheers! Selling Health and Happiness: Advertising Alcohol in New Zealand, c.1900-1945.

<p>Abstract At the turn of the 20th century New Zealand’s newspapers were filled with advertising material offering information on a wide variety of products. Among these advertisements were those for alcohol, a commodity which the advertisements claimed to have multiple benefits, including those of a restorative and curative nature. This thesis will examine how two product groups, alcoholic beverages claiming medicinal value, and patent medicines containing alcohol, were advertised in selected New Zealand newspapers and magazines during the years 1900-1945. The advertising of these two groups was, in many ways, similar. Both used evocative text and images, with the images changing from drawn illustrations to photographs, and both targeted groups, linking these to specific drinks. For example, tonic wine advertising was aimed at women suffering from psychological distress, while beer and spirit advertisements targeted men and sporting codes, and patent medicine advertisements were designed to attract mothers and those suffering from respiratory illnesses. While both alcohol and patent medicines were subject to legislation this was not always effective. The Quackery Act 1908, which should have impacted on both alcohol and patent medicine advertising had no effect on either group. Patent medicine advertisers however, responded to the Physical Welfare Recreation Act 1937, and the Social Welfare Act 1938 with images of active, healthy children. The Medical Advertisements Act 1942 impacted immediately on alcohol advertising. but was not as successful with patent medicines. Both groups had significant changes affecting their advertising. For example, patent medicine advertising was dramatically altered by the discovery of vitamins. This, to a large extent, moved the impetus of many of these advertisements from illness to health. Two factors influenced alcohol advertising: the first being Prohibition Referenda which saw the emergence of advertising focused on placing alcohol in the household medicine chest. This highlighted the use of alcohol as a commodity commonly used in the home for medical and other emergencies and these advertisements informed readers of what could be lost if prohibition were passed. The second, and most significant change came about with the Medical Advertisements Act 1942 when any mention of cure or relief became unlawful.</p>

Changes in perceptions of the alcohol environment among participants in a Photovoice project conducted in two districts with different socio-economic status

Perceptions of the alcohol environment may influence alcohol consumption patterns. The purpose of this study was to describe changes in perceptions of the urban alcohol environment as experienced by residents of two districts with different socio-economic status after taking part in a Photovoice study. The study was conducted in Madrid, Spain, in a district with a high socio-economic status (HSES) and another district with a low socio-economic status (LSES). A Photovoice project was conducted with 26 participants divided into four groups based on sex and district. Groups met over five sessions in which they discussed photographs taken by the participants themselves on the subject of alcohol in their neighbourhood. A qualitative, descriptive and thematic analysis of participants’ discourses was performed to explore changes in their perceptions of the alcohol environment over the project sessions. Changes in perceptions of the alcohol environment were observed in all groups over the project. The process of change varied by districts’ socio-economic characteristics and gender. Greater changes in perceptions of the alcohol environment were observed in HSES, especially among women, as the participants had a much more positive initial view of their alcohol environment. In LSES, participants showed a more critical perception of the alcohol environment from the beginning of the study, and this broadened and intensified over the course of the sessions. Changes in perceptions also varied by thematic categories, including some categories that were discussed from the start (e.g. socialising and alcohol consumption) and categories that only emerged in later sessions (e.g. alcohol advertising). Involvement in a Photovoice project has favoured a shift in the participant’s perceptions of their alcohol environment towards more critical positions, widening their scope of perceived elements and raising their awareness of specific problems, such as alcohol advertising and social role of alcohol consumption in relation to alcohol exposure.

Agathokakological Aspect of Alcohol Advertising in Newspapers

Nepal has a perennial history with the culture of alcohol and it is mostly seen as a form of social capital. Alcohol usage has been inextricable with local cultures, i.e., festivals. The current study aims to investigate aspects of alcohol advertising in newspapers using content analysis. The study focuses on unraveling the ideologies of liquor advertisers in boosting alcohol promotion mostly among the youth. Ostensibly, the boosterism of alcohol advertisements has been concomitant in an attempt to establish it as a mass culture. Consumerism remains the central theme of global contemporary societies and the fundamentals of capitalism are characterized by oligopolistic standards. Facets of such attempt to create a culture revolving around alcohol by injecting messages through advertisements to specific age groups. Forty random private newspapers and twenty state newspapers are taken into consideration and simplified into a coding form to test the two hypotheses. Variables such as themes of advertisement, age, published days, messages espoused, alcohol types, and types of advertisements have been independently tested for correlation. The research has highlighted that advertisers tend to promote alcohol as a form of reinforcing different cultures with the sales of alcohol. Also, there have been frequent reported attempts to magnify use of alcohol during weekends for tranquility from rigid bureaucratic norms. Waves of global cultures have also been associated with alcohol promotion as means of celebration Int. J. Soc. Sc. Manage. Vol. 8, Issue-3: 408-415.