An Introduction

The goal of this blog is to establish the fact that the amount of alcohol-related images that are viewed by today’s youth in the media are sending bad messages to them. In music, television, movies, advertisements and more, they are constantly being told how fun alcohol is, that it is imperative to their having a good time, and that it is the “cool” thing to do.

This notion of “cool” seems to be the driving point of everything though. The cool people at the parties are drinking alcohol. The cool celebrities talk and sing about how much fun they have with alcohol. During breaks between sports games (where alcohol ads are most prevalent), teens see that if they were drinking while watching these sporting events, they would feel cooler and have a better time.

The 10 posts below are just a few examples of how the media is having a lasting impression on the youth’s view of alcohol. There are hundreds more in all kinds of mediums. Surely, if you are reading this right now you can think of a few examples yourself. Undoubtedly you have a memory of a funny alcohol commercial, or a party scene from one of your favorite movies, not to mention the countless ads peppered into the magazines and billboards kids surely see each and every day.

“Every year kids and teens see close to 20,000 commercials. Of these, approximately 2,000 are for alcoholic beverages. Add to these other forms of advertising (magazine ads, billboards, Web sites and brand-related clothing and products), signage at sporting events, sponsorship of professional and college teams and sports TV and radio programs, and most young people will have seen approximately 100,000 alcohol ads by the time they turn 18,” (Media Awareness Network, Alcohol Advertising and Kids).

All of these things affect the viewers’ perceptions of drinking. This makes it especially dangerous when being viewed by kids who do not even fully understand the effects alcohol can have.

For those who don’t believe that today’s youth is being intentionally exposed to these images of alcohol, look a little harder, and you’ll be surprised. Many colleges, specifically the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY) at Georgetown University, are doing comprehensive studies that prove otherwise.

“Coupled with lax age verification, many alcohol companies have designed their Web sites in a way that appeals to youth. Budlight.com, for example, is full of interactive features that have a broad appeal to teens. Visitors can play games, listen to music, watch and rate Bud Light ads, and send Bud Light emails to friends. There are also a number of items that can be downloaded, including alcohol branded desktop wallpaper, instant messaging icons, and screensavers,” (freebowl.com/alcohol_industry, Booze In Cyberspace).

So feel free to browse the blog for yourself, comment on the posts that seem to have a lasting impression. Feel free to mention anything you feel is worth adding to the site. A works cited for the research done for this site can be seen as the final post on the site and I would recommend reading some of those articles mentioned if you want to learn more about the effects of alcohol in the media on today’s youth.