Awareness of, and participation with, digital alcohol marketing, and the association with frequency of high episodic drinking among young adults

Abstract

Aim: To explore the association between awareness of traditional and digital marketing, participation with digital marketing and young adults’ frequency of high episodic drinking (HED). Methods: An online cross-sectional survey of 18–25 year olds (n = 405) measured awareness of nine traditional marketing channels, and awareness of, and participation with, 11 digital marketing channels. HED was measured using the final item from the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test – Consumption (AUDIT-C). Findings: Respondents, on average, were aware of alcohol being marketed through 4.30 traditional and 6.23 digital marketing channels, and had participated with marketing through 2.34 digital channels. Respondents who reported HED on at least a weekly basis reported the most awareness of, and participation with, alcohol marketing. Those who reported never engaging in HED, or doing so less than monthly, reported the lowest. Significant associations were found between awareness of, and participation with, traditional and digital alcohol marketing and increased frequency of HED. Conclusions: That digital marketing was more successful than traditional in reaching young adults, and had a stronger association with increased frequency of HED, highlights the dynamic nature of marketing communications and the need for further research to fully understand young people’s experience with digital marketing.

Keywords:

• Alcohol marketing
• alcohol
• binge drinking
• digital alcohol marketing
• high episodic drinking
• marketing
• quantitative research
• traditional alcohol marketing
• young adults

Acknowledgements

The authors pay thanks to ALOVE! This group represent The Salvation Army (TSA) for the new generation and are responsible for the implementing the national youth work strategy by delivering worship, discipleship, mission and social action. The authors also thank TSA’s Scottish Alcohol and Drug Strategy Group and the Centre for Applied Research and Assessment in Adolescent and Child Wellbeing at the University of Roehampton, particularly Dr. Catherine Gilvarry and Prof. Cecilia Essau for their input in early stages of project development.

Declaration of interest

This project was supported by a grant supplied by The Salvation Army in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. The authors report no conflict of interest.