A new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) has highlighted the increasing use of advanced online marketing techniques to sell alcohol and has also emphasised the need for more effective regulation. The report shows that young people and heavy drinkers are increasingly targeted by alcohol advertisers, often to the detriment of their health.
One of the biggest changes in recent years to alcohol marketing analysed by the WHO is the use of sophisticated online marketing.
As per the WHO, the collection and analysis of data on users’ habits and preferences by global Internet providers has created new and growing opportunities for alcohol marketers to target messages to specific groups across national borders.
“Targeted advertising on social media is especially effective at using such data, with its impact strengthened by social influencers and sharing of posts between social media users,” WHO press statement read.
The report read, “Alcohol-dependent people frequently report a stronger urge to drink alcohol when confronted with alcohol-related cues, yet they rarely have an effective way to avoid exposure to the content of the advertising or promotion.”
One data source quoted in the report worked out that over 70% of media spending of leading alcohol marketers based in the USA in 2019 was through promotions, product placement and online advertisements in social media.
“Alcohol robs young people, their families and societies of their lives and potential,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization. “Yet despite the clear risks to health, controls on the marketing of alcohol are much weaker than for other psychoactive products. Better, well enforced and more consistent regulation of alcohol marketing would both save and improve young lives across the world.”
The report also realised lack of regulation to address cross-border marketing of alcohol, a particular concern for children and adolescents, women, and heavy drinkers.
“The rising importance of digital media means that alcohol marketing has become increasingly cross-border”, said Dag Rekve of the Alcohol, Drugs and Addictive Behaviours Unit at the World Health Organization. “This makes it more difficult for countries that are regulating alcohol marketing to effectively control it in their jurisdictions. More collaboration between countries in this area is needed.”
As per several studies, starting to drink alcohol at a young age is a predictor of hazardous drinking in young adulthood and beyond. “Teenage drinkers are more vulnerable to harm from alcohol consumption than older drinkers. Areas of the world with young and growing populations, such as Africa and Latin America, are being particularly targeted,” the press statement read.
Worldwide, 3 million people die each year as a result of harmful use of alcohol – one every 10 seconds – representing about 5% of all deaths. A disproportionate number of these alcohol–related deaths occur among younger people, with 13.5% of all deaths among those who are 20–39 years of age being alcohol-related.