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AIMS: To test a hypothesized model of the effect of televised alcohol advertising and allegiance to specific brands of beer on subsequent beer consumption and self-reports of aggressive behaviour linked with drinking. DESIGN: Structural equation modelling was used to assess the fit between data collected as part of a longitudinal study of young people's health and development and a hypothesized model based on theoretical perspectives and previous research. SETTING: A birth cohort has been assessed every few years, most of them in their home city of Dunedin, New Zealand. The questions about alcohol are asked as part of the day-long assessment. PARTICIPANTS: Members of a longitudinal survey cohort at ages 18 and 21 years. Data from 630 beer drinking participants were analysed in this study. MEASUREMENTS: Responses to questions about beer consumption, liking for advertising, favourite brand of beer and self-reports of alcohol-related aggressive behaviour. FINDINGS: Our hypothesized model assumed a positive impact of liking of alcohol advertising and brand allegiance at age 18 on the volume of beer consumed at age 21 and self-reports of alcohol-related aggressive behaviour. This was found to be a good fit to the data from the longitudinal study. CONCLUSION: This measurable impact of alcohol advertising occurred during a time of decline in aggregate alcohol in New Zealand. While this effect was not large enough to halt the decline in aggregate alcohol consumption it does indicate a measurable, specific impact of broadcast alcohol advertising on alcohol consumption and related behaviour which is of relevance for public health policy.
Casswell et al. (Sat,) studied this question.