Alcohol Marketing in the Era of Digital Media Platforms

Abstract

Objective: Digital media platforms like Facebook and Instagram play a significant role in the marketing of alcohol, connecting producers and consumers in novel ways. Alcohol marketers have proven to be innovative experimenters with the participatory and dataprocessing power of these platforms. The aim of this article is to (1) scope how digital advertising and media are typically understood and operationalized in the public health literature, and (2) to develop a conceptual framework for investigating alcohol marketing on platforms by identifying new and specific platform affordances that should inform further research in this area. Method: A conceptual review drawing on research on digital alcohol marketing in the public health literature, conceptualizations of digital platforms in media and communication literature, and instructive examples from industry sources. Results:The article identifies five key challenges alcohol marketing on digital platforms poses to regulatory and self-regulatory frameworks, which so far have not been sufficiently considered in the public health literature. Conclusions:The review suggests that in addition to assessing the content, volume and placement of alcohol advertising, research and regulatory responses need to address alcohol marketing on digital platforms as a dynamic, participatory, and data-driven process.

The alcohol advertising ban in Norway: Effects on recorded alcohol sales

“…When the ban took effect, advertising occurred in print media, cinemas, posters, et cetera, but not in ether media, as radio and TV broadcasting in Norway was subject to a non‐commercial state monopoly. Today, digital media platforms play a major role in the advertising and marketing of alcohol in many countries [13], and marketing occurs also as sports sponsorship [14] and product placement in films, festivals and other cultural events [15]. It is therefore possible that the effect of a full ban on marketing, if implemented and fully enforced today, could be larger than that observed in the Norwegian context half a century ago.…”

Regulating Platforms’ Algorithmic Brand Culture: The Instructive Case of Alcohol Marketers on Social Media

“…Broadly, public health research has approached the marketing of unhealthy and addictive commodities on digital media through 'exposurecentric' and 'engagement-centric' frameworks (Carah and Brodmerkel 2021). The exposure-centric view continues the systematic research of the effects of exposing consumers to advertisements.…”

“…The engagement-centric view attempts to conceptualise and describe how marketers capitalise on the participatory culture of social media platforms by involving consumers in creating, circulating and engaging with brand and promotional content (Goodwin et al 2016;Lyons et al 2016;Niland et al 2017;Atkinson et al 2017). Elsewhere we have argued that 'an exposure-centric view aligns with the first wave of digital advertising that transported familiar forms of display advertising into online channels' and an 'engagement-centric view reflects the second wave of digital marketing' instigated by the participatory culture of social media (Carah and Brodmerkel 2021). However, neither of these perspectives 'adequately reflect how the advertising models of digital platforms have matured from early display advertising, to organic participatory engagement, to a third wave characterised by paid datadriven engagement that aims to optimise consumers' perceptions and actions' (Carah and Brodmerkel 2021: 20).…”

Alcohol brands’ use of age-restriction controls on Facebook and Instagram in Australia

“…Digital advertising provides benefits to marketers that don't exist in traditional media, such as the ability to collect and use data and algorithms to precisely target consumers, and retail and distribution plugins that take users directly through to online stores. 4 Rather than simply exposing people to a brand, advertising on social networking sites allows engagement and interaction with marketing activities. 5 Through the use of marketing tactics such as highly targeted sponsored ads, time-limited video stories and social media influencers, a significant proportion of digital alcohol marketing is 'dark', being only visible to the target audience and not open to public scrutiny.…”

“…5 Through the use of marketing tactics such as highly targeted sponsored ads, time-limited video stories and social media influencers, a significant proportion of digital alcohol marketing is 'dark', being only visible to the target audience and not open to public scrutiny. 4 The lack of transparency as to who is being targeted by alcohol marketers, as well as the extent to which the dominant digital platforms use online tracking to collect consumer data 6 , raises questions about what children and young people may be seeing online. Evidence suggests that engaging with digital alcohol marketing is associated with increased alcohol use and risky drinking behaviour.…”