Alcohol's Getting a Bit More Social: When Alcohol Marketing Messages on Facebook Increase Young Adults’ Intentions to Imbibe

Abstract

This study investigates the effects of social media marketing of alcoholic beverages using a 2 (likes: low vs. high) × 2 (shares: low vs. high) × 3 (display ad type: alcohol ad vs. antibinge drinking PSA vs. local bank) × 6 (status update repetitions) experimental design. The study examines how evaluations of alcohol marketing status updates and display advertisements predict social media users’ intentions to consume alcohol, as a function of message virality and display ad type. Participants’ viral behavioral intentions (intentions to like, share, and comment on) for status updates were strongest in predicting intentions to consume alcohol, and this relationship was strongest when the Facebook status update had high likes and shares. The article argues that alcohol marketing on social media reflects a social norm of alcohol consumption, which leads users to consume more alcoholic drinks. Findings are discussed within the framework of persuasion theories and policy changes regarding regulation of alcohol marketing on social media.

Notes

¹In the current study, we limited the manipulation of virality to likes and shares. We did not include comments in our manipulation, as it would entail additional layers of complexity in relation to the features of comments (e.g., valence, length, language, etc.).

²Alcohol-related Facebook status updates and display ads were pretested on positivity, negativity, arousal, and humor to ensure that the messages are comparable and that the effects are not contaminated by the emotional tone and appeal in these status updates and ads.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Saleem Alhabash

Saleem Alhabash (Ph.D., University of Missouri, 2011) is an Assistant Professor of Public Relations and Social Media in the Department of Advertising and Public Relations and the Department of Media and Information at Michigan State University. His research interests focus on the effects of social media as it relates to persuasion.

Anna R. McAlister

Anna R. McAlister (Ph.D., University of Queensland, Australia, 2006) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Advertising and Public Relations at Michigan State University. Her research interests include the effects of marketing communications on consumer perceptions and consumer behavior.

Elizabeth Taylor Quilliam

Elizabeth Taylor Quilliam (Ph.D., Michigan State University, 2008) is an Associate Professor in the Department of Advertising and Public Relations at Michigan State University. Her research interests focus on media, children, health and public policy.

Jef I. Richards

Jef I. Richards (Ph.D., University of Wisconsin, 1988; J.D., Indiana University, 1981) is Professor and Chair of the Department of Advertising and Public Relations at Michigan State University. His research interests focus primarily on public policy issues related to advertising.

Chen Lou

Chen Lou (Ph.D., Michigan State University, 2016) is a doctoral student in the Department of Advertising and Public Relations at Michigan State University. Her research interests include media effects and consumer psychology in the social media context.