Alcohol Marketing in Europe By Avalon de Bruijn

1. Alcohol Marketing in Europe By Avalon de Bruijn (STAP, National Foundation for Alcohol Prevention, the Netherlands)

2. About STAP: Independent non-profit organisation which advocates: • Effective control policies; • Public awareness of risks of alcohol. We work at: • Local level (research, policy advice, policy implementation); • National level (Monitoring alcohol marketing, advocacy); • European level (research, Monitoring alcohol marketing, advocacy); • Idealistic projects: Alcohol and pregnancy, alcohol free environments.

3. Volume matters! Youngsters who are more exposed to alcohol advertisements: • start earlier with drinking alcohol; • drink higher quantities of alcohol at one occasion (binge drinking); • Consume alcohol more frequently.

4. Youngsters will drink 1% more alcohol for every additional alcohol commercial they are exposed to. (longitudinal study, Snyder et al., 2006).

5. Content matters! Research shows that attractive advertisement increases the effect on purchasing alcohol by youngsters. • The intention of youngsters to purchase alcohol is predicted by how appealing youngsters find the advertisement. This attractiveness is constructed by the use of humor, celebrities and animals. Commercials mainly focused on product qualities contribute to a lower intention to purchase alcohol (Chen et al., 2005).

6. Regulation of alcohol marketing: • There is a need to limit the youngster’s exposure to (attractive) alcohol advertisement • 76 regulations in 24 European countries: • 49 fixed by law; • 27 voluntary rules by the industry (self-regulation). • Laws: mainly focussed on volume restrictions • Self-Regulation: mainly focussed on content restrictions

7. Regulation in Europe: • Council Recommendations (2001): 1(b) to ensure that alcoholic beverages are not designed or promoted to appeal to children and adolescents, and paying particular attention inter alia, to the following elements: - the use of styles (such as characters, motifs or colours) associated with youth culture; - featuring children, adolescents, or other young looking models, in promotion campaigns; - links with violence or antisocial behaviour; - implications of social, sexual or sporting success. Only on content and not binding.

8. Only 1 European Directive: AVMSD (earlier: TWFD): Article 15 Television advertising and teleshopping for alcoholic beverages shall comply with the following criteria: (a) it may not be aimed specifically at minors or, in particular, depict minors consuming these beverages; (b) it shall not link the consumption of alcohol to enhanced physical performance or to driving; (c) it shall not create the impression that the consumption of alcohol contributes towards social or sexual success; (d) it shall not claim that alcohol has therapeutic qualities or that it is a stimulant, a sedative or a means of resolving personal conflicts; (e) it shall not encourage immoderate consumption of alcohol or present abstinence or moderation in a negative light; (f) it shall not place emphasis on high alcoholic content as being a positive quality of the beverages. Only on content and only on television ads (linear and non-linear).

9. Self-Regulation in Europe: Content restriction • 2.4 Commercial Communications should not use objects, images, styles, symbols, • colors, music and characters (either real or fictitious, including cartoon figures or • celebrities such as sporting heroes) of primary appeal to children or adolescents. • 2.5 Commercial Communications should not use brand identification such as names, • logos, games, game equipment or other items of primary appeal to minors. • Commercial Communications should not suggest that the consumption of • Beverages is a requirement for social acceptance or success. • 10.2 Commercial Communications should not suggest that the consumption of • Beverages enhances sexual capabilities, attractiveness or leads to sexual • relations. • (source: EFRD, Common Standards for Commercial Communications, January 2008)

10. Examples of advertising practices in violation with self-regulation, according to STAP

11. Example 1: Social/sexual success Article 8 “Alcohol advertising is not allowed to suggest that consumption of alcoholic beverages contributes to social or sexual success”

12. International Marques & Social success • Grand Marnier print ad (2007) • “Turn a Cold start into a warm encounter” with Grand Marnier • Advertsing Code Committee: “The ad suggests that Grand Marnier contributes to more sociability and warmth. However, this does not imply that GM contributes to social success”  complaint rejected

13. Bacardi Limon & Sexual success • Bacardi Limon (2005) • 1 man on a bed with 4 women • According to the Dutch Advertising Committee this commercial is not in violation with self-regulation code • “No suggestion of sexual success, but: a metaphor for 1 part Bacardi Limon and 4 parts of Tonic!”  rejected

14. Maxxium NL & Sexual success • Passoa Diablo (2002) • “You’re no angel” • These ’angels’ seem to have had sexual intercourse (toilet, clothes, open bottles) • We couldn’t prove that drinking happened before sex  complaint rejected

15. Shooter ‘Quicky’ & Sexual Success • Shooter (2006) • Website: “Feel like a…. Quicky?” • Used as openings sentence to have sexual intercourse • Advertsing Code Committee: “Although the name and presentation on the website are sexually tinged, it cannot be concluded that drinking a Quicky contributes to sexual success”  rejected

16. Example 3: cheap drinks and irresponsible consumption Article 1 “Caution with all alcohol advertising is warranted. Alcohol advertising is not allowed to stimulate or suggest excessive or irresponsible consumption”. Article 20 “It is not allowed for members of the alcohol industry, to advertise with free drinks or to give a discount of more than 50%”

17. Article 1: Stimulating excessive drinking • Discotheque The Palace • 2003-2008 • Advertises with cheap drinks every Thursday • 5 complaints  all sustained by Advertising Committee • Despite 5 ‘convictions’ in past few years, way of advertising not adjusted  decision of Advertising Code Committee has no effect!

18. Wine discount • Wijnvoordeel.nl • Wines with discounts > 50% • Free wine packages after delivering 10 new members to the newsletter • Has been ‘convicted’ 3 times in 2007 • No official member of the STIVA (Foundation for Responsible Drinking)  verdicts of Advertising Committee have no impact Even worse: much free publicity for winediscount!

19. Example 5: Traffic - “Don’t drink and drive” • Article 17 • “No connection between drinking and active traffic participation, unless...” • Is “don’t drink and drive” warning visible on these vehicles??

20. Changes concerning sports Code 1990 “Alcohol advertsing is not allowed to draw any connection between drinking and actively participating in sports” Code 2005 “Alcohol advertising is not allowed to suggest that consumption of alcohol positively affects sport performances”.  Almost any association is allowed now!

21. “Alcohol advertising is not allowed to specifically target young people. Alcohol advertsing is not allowed use illustrations, colors, shapes, cartoons, symbols, idols, music, souds, ringtones, SMS or youth ‘slang’, that have a significantly higher attraction value for minors than for adults”

22. Heineken “Keep the Can Cool Game” (2005) • Online game: Keep the Can Cool • Committee: • “Despite simple graphics and slightly childish appearance, it is not proven to be ‘significantly’ more attractive for minors than adults” •  rejected • Impossible to prove ‘significantly higher attraction value’

23. Volume restrictions in self-regulation: • EFRD code: Mainly focussed on content restriction • Only volume restriction is 30% threshold: • 2.2 Commercial Communications should only promote Beverages in print and • broadcast media for which at least 70% of the audience are reasonably expected • to be adults 18 years or older. They should not promote Beverages in print and • broadcast media, or events for which more than 30% of the audience is known • or reasonably expected to be minors. • (source: EFRD, Common Standards for Commercial Communications, January 2008)

24. % minors of total population <20% 20-25% 25-30% 30-35% % minors in EU27 countries: 19.4 % Source: Eurostat

25. Code 2005 “Alcohol advertising, in any form, is not allowed to reach a public consisting of more than 25% minors” • seems sharpened • in fact allows more advertising because 25% hard to prove!

26. “So you wanna be a popstar” in Heineken Music Hall (2007) • Concert with ‘Idols’, based on tv show • Attractive to young people • Many minors present ± 30% (often accompanied by parents) • No official visitor records known • Advertising Committee: • “The name HMH is alcohol advertising because the name Heineken is well known. However, majority of concerts (90%) in HMH attract adults”  rejected!

27. Rgulations at the Regional level: • Large differences between countries; • Should not contradict national or supra-national regulations; • Regional bodies can advocate more effective regulations! • Regional bodies can influence volume alcohol marketing locally.

28. What do we want? • Limit exposure of young people to attractive advertisement with CLEAR regulations. Eg French Evin Law.

29. What do we want? • More effective regulations: - Restrict the content of alcohol advertisement with CLEAR regulations. Eg French Evin Law. - Limiting the volume of alcohol marketing. Limiting the number of young people that is allowed to be reached. Ban all media that is difficult to monitor. • Harmonization of regulation • Effective monitoring of alcohol marketing

30. www.eucam.info • Work Conference 20-21 November 2008 Brussels • Please subsribe to our free Newsletter and EUCAM info. Contact Information: EUCAM is supported by: European Centre for Monitoring Alcohol Marketing Postbox 8181 3503 RD Utrecht the Netherlands T + 31 (0) 30 65 65 041 F + 31 (0) 30 65 65 043 E-mail: eucam@eucam.info