The NSW Parliament Legislative Council Standing Committee on Social Issues is currently conducting an inquiry into strategies to reduce alcohol abuse among young people in NSW.
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We sat down with a group of service providers, drug and alcohol workers, and a representative from a licensed venue to talk over some of the issues.
One of the first topics that came up was the effect of alcohol marketing on young people. And it’s not just direct advertising which targets young people that is the issue. Certainly the ads are there, but think about alcohol marketing at family-centred sporting events such as all day cricket games, and in celebrity culture.
The celebrities and sporting heroes who are looked up to by young people are frequently photographed for social pages with drinks in their hands, or are reported in the news for alcohol-influenced disorderly behaviour
And then think about the way that marketing works to “normalise” alcohol in everyday life, and influence very young children in public places such as supermarkets. Some examples we came up with include
• Having alcohol sections in local supermarkets
• Alcohol discount vouchers and ‘2 for 1’ offers on supermarket and petrol receipts – such as the ‘get a tankful, get a gutful’ promotion
• Alcohol flavoured confectionary such as liqueur chocolates and whiskey and other spirits-flavoured toffees
• Alcohol flavoured biscuits such as Kahlua flavoured Mint Slices and Tia Maria flavoured Tim Tams
• Vodka flavoured lipgloss
• Toys with alcohol advertising, such as replica racing cars with alcohol sponsorships, and toy trucks with alcohol logos.
Even energy drinks and soft drinks normalise alcohol consumption because the packaging and marketing of these drinks is similar to alcoholic drinks, and thereby presents alcohol as a “normal” beverage for young people.
Another recent trend to use social media such as Facebook to advertise alcohol to young people makes its presence even more pervasive in youth culture. And when an ad is banned, it goes viral on Youtube immediately. So now marketing strategies appear to be purposely provocative in order to be banned; thereby gaining a massive following on social media and Youtube.
Makes you wonder if the key issue in addressing alcohol promotion is industry self-regulation of advertising, doesn’t it?
Another issue is secondary supply. Well-intentioned parents may believe that gradual introduction of alcohol to minors will get their systems used to drinking; or are badgered into sending their kids to a party with a few drinks, thinking that a few won’t get them into trouble. And some parents find it hard to say no when your teenager’s argument is ‘‘everybody else’s parents do it’’.
Maybe to help combat alcohol abuse by young people, advertising also needs to be targeted at parents who are still responsible for their teenager’s behaviour.
These ads should highlight the developmental dangers of introducing young people to alcohol too early and it should highlight the fact that parents have the right to say no to supplying alcohol to their teenagers.
And these are only the start of the issues we came up with – stay tuned for more.
Nicky Sloan is CEO of The Illawarra Forum. The Forum supports community organisations, promotes expertise and innovation in community development, fosters industry development and advocates for social justice.
