Recognizing that the economic power of the alcohol industry creates a substantial barrier to implementing alcohol policy, community-based groups are using long-term, multi-faceted approaches to build the public support needed to leverage alcohol advertising reform. This presentation examines the successful strategies of the Shareholders of Anheuser-Busch for Advertising Reform in collaboration with other community groups and makes recommendations for future actions. In order to overcome the enormous resistance to changing policy caused by vested economic interests, community groups must develop long-term plans, learn to leverage resistance to gain media attention, shape public awareness and opinion through media advocacy and citizen-based action, and advocate for government regulation to offset harmful practices. Strategies examined include: alcohol company shareholder actions; eye-catching materials that demonstrate alcohol ads that attract youth; paid ads; a letter sent to a beer company signed by individuals and organizations representing nearly a million people; counter-ad contests for youth; counter-ad billboards; advocacy for government regulation; and on-going media advocacy. Recommendations for the future include: increased action to leverage resistance; on-going media advocacy; efforts to shape public opinion to build support for increased regulatory measures; and increased efforts to engage communities in "easy-to-do" actions to create demand for alcohol advertising reform.
Learning Objectives: Participants will be able to: 1) understand the need for alcohol advertising reform; 2) identify successful methods to motivate citizen action and shape public opinion to build support for policies; 3) identify effective strategies for future efforts
Keywords: Alcohol Problems, Community Building
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.