Objective: In recent years the effectiveness of the self-regulatory system has been questioned and there have been increasing public calls for an overhaul of the regulatory system. The present study was the final component of a project designed to examine whether the introduction of the revised ABAC code in 2004 resulted in improvements in the degree to which the self-regulatory system protects young people from offensive or inappropriate alcohol advertisements. In the first study, 14 complaints against alcohol advertisements were lodged with the self-regulatory board, and an independent expert panel recruited to assess the same advertisements and complaints.
Method: The present study sought to examine young people’s perceptions of these advertisements. Six print and six television advertisements were selected for the study, and 287 respondents aged 15-24 years viewed two alcohol advertisements and completed a questionnaire immediately after viewing each advertisement.
Results: The respondents perceived messages in the advertisements regarding several social benefits of consuming alcohol, including that the advertised product would make them more sociable and outgoing, help them have a great time, help them fit in, help them feel more confident, help them feel less nervous, and help them succeed with the opposite sex. There was also a strong association between emotional responses to the advertisements and stated intentions to try the advertised products.
Conclusions: It is clear from this study that young people find current alcohol advertisements to be interesting and amusing, and hold generally positive attitudes towards these advertisements. It was evident that respondents perceived messages in the advertisements regarding several social benefits of consuming alcohol, messages which transgress the self-regulatory code for alcohol advertising. This study provides further evidence that the current system is ineffective in protecting young people from inappropriate messages about alcohol.