Anti-drinking ads can spur greater alcohol use

Washington, Feb 26 (IANS) Advertising campaigns that use guilt or shame to warn against alcohol abuse can actually have the reverse effect, spurring increased drinking among target audiences, says research.

Instead of the intended outcome, the advertisements triggered an innate coping mechanism that enables viewers to distance themselves from the serious consequences of reckless drinking, showed researchers in the first-of-its-kind study.

Anti-drinking or "responsible" drinking campaigns have long been a mainstay of health departments, non-profit organisations and even beverage companies.

Yet, alcohol abuse remains a persistent and growing problem, linked to the deaths of approximately 79,000 people in the US every year.

Each year, drinking among college students in the US contributes to an estimated 1,700 student deaths, 600,000 injuries, 700,000 assaults, 90,000 sexual assaults and 474,000 cases of unprotected sex.

"The public health and marketing communities expend considerable effort and capital on these campaigns but have long suspected they were less effective than hoped," said Adam Duhachek, marketing professor and study co-author, from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business.

"But the situation is worse than wasted money or effort. These ads ultimately may do more harm than good because they have the potential to spur more of the behaviour they're trying to prevent," added Duhachek.

His research specifically explores anti-drinking advertisements that link to the many possible adverse results of alcohol abuse, such as blackouts and car accidents, while eliciting feelings of shame and guilt.

Findings show such messages are too difficult to process among viewers already experiencing these emotions -- for example, those who already have alcohol-related transgressions.

To cope, they adopt a defensive mindset that allows them to underestimate their susceptibility to the consequences highlighted in the advertisements, say for example thinking the consequences happen only to "other people".

The result is they engage in greater amounts of irresponsible drinking, according to respondents, says an Indiana University release.

The findings were published in the Journal of Marketing Research.