Caution: Alcohol advertising and the surgeon general's alcohol warnings may have adverse effects on young adults

Abstract

Government mandated warnings are becoming more common. However, studies have not compared the effect of warnings, meant to increase perception of risk, to advertising, which aims to decrease perceptions of risk and enhance perceptions of product benefits. We conducted an experiment to test the effects of the newly introduced Surgeon General's alcohol warnings and advertisements on college students. Surprisingly, the warnings boomeranged, causing drinkers to perceive greater benefits from the alcoholic beverages. The advertisements had powerful effects on both drinkers and nondrinkers, increasing perceptions of benefits and decreasing risks. In part, the ads worked by causing people to perceive fewer risks communicated by the stimulus materials, and reducing people's ability to recall the content of the warning. The results suggest that, for young people, the warning labels in their present form may be counterproductive, and advertisements make drinking more attractive. Implications for warning and advertising policies are discussed.