Alcohol advertisements associated with sports and the relationship with young audience

Abstract

International literature indicates that alcohol advertising is associated with increased alcohol consumption by the general population and especially among children and adolescents. Research shows that alcohol advertising is also targeted to young people, suggesting the influence in the decision to consume alcohol. In addition, children and adolescents exposed to more alcohol advertising anticipate the beginning of consumption, consume alcohol in greater quantities, which generates significant public health problems. Both the identification and assessment of the young for the content of alcohol advertising are important factors in this direction. The advertisements that teens like and identify are those that address humor, eroticism and camaraderie, often related to sporting events like football games. To avoid this kind of influence, there are regulations in Brazil to which the advertising of alcoholic beverages is subject to promote the product of a socially responsible manner. There are two control systems: legal and self-regulation. Studies conducted so far, including Brazil, show that the control of alcohol advertisements does not work, because the rules of advertising self-regulation are systematically violated. In addition, the alcohol industry began to diversify the means of promotion, including the use of new media such as social networking on the Internet, viral emails, phone messages etc.., Popular media among the young. Research funded by FAPESP conducted from 2004 (FAPESP: 03/06250-7 and 04/13564-0), pioneers in the country, contributed to the knowledge of reality on the subject, supporting the debate from the standpoint of public health . The main objective of the current project is to deepen the research on the advertising of alcoholic beverages among young Brazilians, continuing the line of research opened by FAPESP: 03/06250-7 and 04/13564-0. To this end, the authors propose the implementation of a study that sought to analyze the relationship of alcohol advertising in sports, in view of the importance of this relationship and the preparation for Brazil to host sporting events like the World Cup and the Olympics. Aspects considered include the monitoring of violations of the Brazilian Advertising Self-Regulation Code, the Internet advertising and the relationship between college athletics and alcohol advertising. (AU)