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Alcohol Marketing

The popularity of video games was not lost on the alcohol or tobacco industry. Anytime there is a captive and market-worthy audience to exploit, there will be those seeking to insert their product. Video game developers can get big bucks for working an alcohol logo into their product, or for having characters which sensationalize beer or tobacco use. Advertising like this is expensive, because it works.

It’s been over a decade now since tobacco adds were legislatively pulled from television. Law suits exposed the unnerving effectiveness of characters like Joe Camel, at increasing the rate of smoking in youngsters. Talking frogs, galloping horses and humorous punchlines have done the same for the alcohol industry. In some video games, even seemingly innocent sports games, alcohol plays a not-so-subtle role in the virtual environment. Gaming characters drink beer and wear alcohol branded merchandise. Bullets or bombs explode into popular brand labels etc. Research on both sides of this issue has effectively linked children’s exposure to these influences, to proportionate increases in alcohol use patterns.

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What can you do?

Review the game package. Alcohol content is one of the identifiers that should be listed on the back of the cover. Consult parent driven websites like Common Sense Media for indications of alcohol use or advertising.

You wont catch it all, so take the time to counterbalance some of these influences with your child. If they’re being exposed to pro-drinking messages in the gaming environment, increase the pro-sobriety messages when they are in your environment. Help them understand the subtle marketing tactics. Make sure that you defend your family against the aggressive tactics of those who want their money and seek to control their habits.