Drinking it in - Marketing and Promotion of Alcohol to Young People
WHO Valencia Conference, May, 2002
Against a background of lobbying and public relations exercises on the part of the drink industry, the Valencia conference, Drinking it in: Marketing and Promotion of Alcohol to Young People, looked at the reality of the industry's methods of targeting the next generation of drinkers worldwide. The conference was intended as a follow-up to the Ministerial Conference held in Stockholm in February, 2001. In his opening statement to the conference, Derek Yach, Executive Director, WHO, said: "New data to be released by WHO in the World Health Report later this year, shows that the burden of alcohol on mortality and morbidity has significantly increased since last reported in 1990. Back then, alcohol was already responsible for around 3.5 per cent of all deaths and disease in the world.
"In addressing these preventable risks, WHO is paying increasing attention to the impact of marketing to young people Visit a store/shopping mall or market, in just about any country, and you will see that children and youth are the targets of the new technologies of persuasion. Neuro-psychologists tell us that many such promotions are designed to 'slip underneath the radar of critical thinking', taking advantage of unconscious processing of messages to influence the target audience through appeals to emotions.
"Children and young people are important targets of these messages for three reasons: first, their direct buying power is increasing world-wide; second, they, exert considerable influence over household spending; and third, companies are keen to establish brand loyalty to their products as early as possible in the hope of maintaining this over their lives. Clearly, marketing matters!
"Marketing messages associate alcohol with fun, excitement, sex, glamour, rebellion, and sophistication - all positive messages: no hint of harm!
"Marketing of alcoholic beverages appears to influence youth behaviour and choices. Its pervasiveness also serves to create the impression that drinking alcohol is the norm in all societies. In fact, more than half of all people in the world aged 15 years and above do not drink alcohol at all and a further significant proportion do not consume alcohol regularly.
"Based on these concerns, Dr Brundtland [Director General of WHO] called in Sweden for a concerted review by international experts to help WHO develop policies to reduce the impact of marketing and promotion of alcohol to young people. This meeting is the response."
The World Health Organization is committed to calling the drink industry to account. At the Stockholm Ministerial Conference referred to by Dr Yach, Dr Marc Danzon, the Regional Director of WHO, questioned the right of the industry and its lobbyists to promote their products as they saw fit. He quoted the example of promotions at sporting events, where all too often the name of an alcoholic beverage is inescapable.
Dr Brundtland, speaking at the Stockholm Conference, said: "Restrictions on advertising reduce consumption. OECD countries with a ban on alcohol advertising had about 16 per cent lower alcohol consumption and 23 per cent lower number of traffic fatalities than countries with no advertising restrictions."
The Stockholm Conference galvanized the drink industry into action. The spectre of regulation had been raised and there was concerted action to head this off. In direct response to that conference, the Amsterdam Group, the social aspect organisation representing the major alcohol producers of Europe, produced guidelines on commercial communications, especially with regard to young people. In addition, the industry saw it as vital to enter into dialogue with WHO. Before the Valencia conference was held, the alcohol industry enlisted the direct aid of the United States Government to intervene with WHO. The alcohol giant Diageo – not an American company – arranged for the US Ambassador to Switzerland to put pressure on WHO to hold discussions with its representatives, presumably with the intention of influencing its policies.
Responding to EU Commissioner Byrne's challenge to the industry that it should show a more "responsible attitude to alcohol", and in anticipation of Valencia, the April CEPS (the European Confederation of Spirits Producers) conference held in Brussels was part of the industry's campaign to show a more "caring face". The central message, that advocated by all the industry's social aspect groups, was the need to differentiate between the "product" and the "misuser". In stark opposition to the aims of WHO Alcohol Plan, the leaders of the industry re-iterated the line that consumption control approach did not work because "restrictions penalised everyone for the mistake of a few".
Further evidence of the increasing pressure the international alcohol industry feels itself to be under is provided by the response of the Amsterdam Group to the Valencia Conference. In a statement issued immediately after the conference, the beverage alcohol industry as represented the Amsterdam Group noted "with concern" the declarations and statements made to the media by participants attending the WHO. The statement continued:
"The misuse of alcohol by young people in all its aspects is a serious one that merits careful consideration, discussion and debate. This is a problem for society, Governments and all those who wish to see sound public health policies and initiatives developed to address these issues. The alcohol industry takes its responsibilities seriously and has frequently expressed its willingness to work with others in tackling these problems.
"This being the case, it is regrettable that the industry was excluded from participating in the Valencia meeting. Given the presence of notable industry critics, it is hardly surprising that there was a heavy focus on industry marketing practices. While we do not believe that these give rise for concern, we are prepared to engage in dialogue with those who hold alternative views on the basis of mutual respect. Attacking the industry may create newspaper headlines; it does not solve any problems. The industry is not the problem; it ought to be part of the solution.
"Consequently, we urge the World Health Organization to recognize our legitimate interests as a stakeholder in the public policy process, to accept our goodwill and efforts to work with them and others in addressing these issues, and to adopt an inclusive approach which is the only one likely to result in sound and workable solutions in the interests of young people and public health generally."
The participants at the conference in Valencia saw things rather differently, as is reflected in the Declaration which was issued: