Media, product differences and seasonality in alcohol advertising in 1997.

Objective: To spell out recent events related to the alcohol advertising controversy and to describe the extent of alcohol advertising for 1 year, the media favored for advertising different types of alcoholic beverages and seasonal variation in advertising patterns.

Method: Monthly advertising data for 1997 were obtained from a variety of sources, including a commercial media monitoring service, a watchdog group, and trade and business press. Media examined were national and local television, radio, magazines, newspapers and billboards.

Results: Alcohol advertising expenditures were greatest in the late spring/early summer and during the holiday season. Television received the preponderance of alcohol advertising dollars for beer, wine, wine coolers and premixed drinks. Distilled spirits relied mostly on magazine advertising. Beer was the most heavily advertised product. More than half of televised beer ads aired on Saturday or Sunday afternoon during sporting events. There were more radio and TV ads for premixed low-alcohol beverages--some of which contain distilled spirits and many using brand names of distilled spirits--than for higher proof distilled spirits.

Conclusions: Public health officials can use the results to plan the month and media in which to launch messages against alcohol misuse, to directly counter pro-alcohol messages in advertising. They should monitor consumption and advertising of premixed beverages. Those concerned with the debate on alcohol advertising should note the access children have to beer ads when these ads are aired during weekend daytime sporting events, and that beer remains the greatest advertised beverage, despite the 1996 lifting of the broadcast advertising ban on distilled spirits.