Policy brief: the case for regulation of alcohol marketing on social media sites

This translational project was developed from Professor Antonia Lyon’s research from the NZ Marsden funded project “young adults, drinking cultures and social networking”.

In 2014 the Ministerial Forum on Alcohol Advertising and Sponsorship (MFAAS) made a commitment to reduce the number of pro-alcohol messages young New Zealanders are exposed to. However, the MFAAS report lacked any recommendation to restrict alcohol marketing through social media, the media source with by far the greatest reach to young people. Findings from the Drinking Cultures project are in line with those from international studies. They show that actively engaging with social media marketing is strongly linked to drinking outcomes, with exposure to alcohol messages on social media affecting people’s age of starting to drink, drinking more, and drinking more frequently.

This policy document reviews current local and international research and makes the case for the importance of greater regulation of alcohol marketing on social media sites. With a high level of visual content, the brief is accessible to a generalist audience as well as policy makers and those working in health promotion.

Read the full policy brief on the Drinking Cultures website here.