Alcohol marketing strategies and countermeasures on college campuses

Donald Zeigler, PhD, A Matter of Degree National Program Office, American Medical Association, 515 N. State Street, #8252, Chicago, IL 60610, (312) 464-5687, Donald_Zeigler@ama-assn.org

The alcohol industry seeks to increase brand recognition and consumption of their products, and to improve their corporate images through sponsorship of community events, sports, "drink responsibly" educational campaigns and high-risk drinking price specials in retail venues. They seek to link university reputations and student loyalties with specific brand names. These run counter to community and campus efforts to reduce underage and high risk drinking, and alcohol related problems on and off campus. Community mobilizations, along with campus and community policy changes have been implemented to successfully subvert these marketing campaigns. Counter-promotion and policy control measures and problems encountered at ten university-community environments, as part of the A Matter of Degree national program, will be described.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) will be able to

1. Assess alcohol promotion and advertising and the role of various levels of the alcohol industry.
2. Describe strategies, with specific examples from the A Matter of Degree national program college sites, for reducing alcohol promotion through campus and public policy.

Keywords: Alcohol, Community Response

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
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.

Recorded presentation

Managing Alcohol Problems in the Community: Experiences with New Approaches

The 132nd Annual Meeting (November 6-10, 2004) of APHA