Research Paper Proposal

Ashley Epperson
Candace Wiley
English 103
Research Proposal
February 25, 2009

“Influence of the Media on Underage Drinking”

Proposal: In today’s society, the media plays a major role in everyday life. We dress like our favorite actors, use phrases that are used in the most popular songs, and are influenced to buy products whose companies present appealing advertisements. While television, the internet, and magazines are popular for all ages, they seem prevalent among teenagers and young adults, especially those under twenty-one. One of the most common concerns among this age group today is underage drinking. While the media displays the consumption of alcohol in a promotion to sell, teens, which are exposed to the advertisements, interpret them differently. Although the media does not directly promote underage drinking, they still play a major role in the exposure of such activity to people under twenty-one. Since alcohol abuse is such a prevalent concern in college age people, I decided to write my paper on the influence of the media leading indirectly to underage drinking. This paper presents several studies that give statistics on how the media influences this activity. Also, the paper presents the counter argument, presented by alcohol companies and associations, and the Federal Commission of Trade. They explain that the media does not factor into the issue with underage drinking and that underage drinking has actually decreased throughout the years. Finally, discussed in the paper, is several court cases that have attempted to decrease the amount of alcohol advertisements. Not only do these advertisements influence underage drinking, they also promote the sell of a dangerous and harmful substance.

Introduction: Turn on a nightly sitcom airing on a local television channel, flip through a magazine, attend a sporting event, or cruise down the interstate and observe the billboards; chances are if one engages in any of these activities, they are exposed to multiple alcohol advertisements. Researchers found that in one year, teens are exposed to over 300 alcohol advertisements on an average television sitting. On the counter argument, companies that produce alcohol tend to have programs aiding teenagers with alcohol issues. However they claim that while the advertisements are a concern, they display “responsible” drinking and should not affect the trend in underage drinking. While alcohol companies’ use advertisements as a promotion to sell products, the advertisements actually expose thousands of people under twenty-one, the legal drinking age, to alcohol. The content of the advertisements tend to appeal to this underage audience and play a major role in their decision to drink.

Main Points
• Give statistics that prove how much of an issue underage drinking is and how many adolescents and young adults engage in this activity.
• Explain and show support that European countries, which have lower drinking ages, still have issues concerning underage drinking and the behavior that follows along with this.
• Present statistics from an annual report of how often underage teens are exposed to alcohol through the media.
• Present information from a study that determined which alcohol companies tended to advertise the most to underage people. The study also explains how teenagers are affected by the advertisements.
• Explain how the Heineken advertisement below influences underage people to drink.
• Present the contrary stand point from alcohol companies and producers, who often argue that they are not influencing underage drinking, and actually have established programs to combat the issue.
• Give the claim from the popular beer company, Corona, which states their advertisements present “responsible” drinking. Also use the picture shown below of Kenny Chesney, advertising their beer. Explain how celebrities will play a major influence over teenagers drinking habits.
• Present the argument that the media does promote underage drinking from the Global Alcohol Policy Alliance.
• Present the contrasting argument to this, from the Federal Commission of Trade, that explains that advertising does not influence underage drinking.
• As a response to the issue, I will then present a journal article that identifies several tactics that have been taken in order to persuade the Government to control alcohol advertisements and their effectiveness.

Conclusion: From the statistics, research, and negative aspects regarding underage drinking in the United States, it is apparent that the media plays a large role in persuasion of such activity. Even after attempts to prohibit alcohol advertisements, due to their promotion of an unhealthy and harmful substance, has been addressed as high as the Supreme Court, no significant change in the trend has been established. While there is no possible way to combat underage drinking, it has been proven that the media does promote this lifestyle among adolescents and young adults.

Sources

Corona Extra. Corona Extra. 2009. 22 February 2009 .

"Drinking on the Range." The Economist (US) 26 March 1988: 28.

Jernigan, David. "Intoxicating Brands." Marketing Mania (2008): 23-27.

The Beer Institiute. Beer Institute. 2008. 22 February 2009 .

The Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth. The Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth. 2009. 22 February 2009 .

"Underage Drinking in the United States, A status report 2004." February 2005. The Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth. 22 February 2009 .

The Scottish Government. "Alcohol and Young People." 29 July 2005. The Scottish Government Publications. 22 February 2009 .

Gould, E. (2005). Trade Treaties and Alcohol Advertising Policy. Journal of Public Health Policy, Vol. 26, No. 3 , 359-376.

Federal Trade Commission. (2005). Alcohol Advertising Does Not Target Youths. In L. M. Newman, Does Advertising Promote Substance Abuse? (pp. 12-18). Farmington Hills: Thomson Gale.

Global Alcohol Policy Alliance. (2005). Alcohol Advertising Targets Youth. In L. M. Newman, Does Advertising Promote Substance Abuse? (pp. 8-11). Farmington Hills: Thomson Gale.

Gould, E. (2005). Trade Treaties and Alcohol Advertising Policy. Journal of Public Health Policy, Vol. 26, No. 3 , 359-376.