February 19, 2010 – Katy Travis – Drug-Free Coalition of Tippecanoe County
(Lafayette, IN) While the big game itself is old news, the commercials are not: the impact of Super Bowl advertising is in full swing. And according to the 200 Tippecanoe County high school students who participated in the Drug-Free Coalition of Tippecanoe County Super Bowl Survey, while alcohol ads were widely remembered, they did not place in the top three favorites among youth, as in past surveys. The survey conducted is part of the Drug-Free Action Alliance of Ohio’s national Super Bowl study. DrugFree Action Alliance is a notforprofit organization that provides leadership to promote safe and drug free communities throughout Ohio. This is the first year that alcohol ads did not appear in the top 3 for the National results.
Doritos stole the show, with kids voting four different Doritos commercials as their top picks.
High School Results
#1 Doritos: Hands Off
#2 Doritos: Shock Collar
#3 Doritos: Stole Tim’s Doritos
#4 Bud Light: Clydesdale Bull and Friends
#5 Doritos: Coffin
Results based on 250 surveys given to high school students in Tippecanoe County
“It is refreshing to see youth choosing commercials promoting a snack product for their top three favorites, however, there were plenty of alcohol ads, and based on the survey, kids definitely took note of it,” said Patricia Harmon, executive director for DrugFree Action Alliance.
Not only did alcohol ads show up in the top five favorites, but when the students were asked about the products they remembered being advertised, alcohol was the second highest item recalled (following closely behind food items).
“The concern is the influence of alcohol advertising on young minds,” said Katy Travis, outreach coordinator, Drug-Free Coalition of Tippecanoe County “Considering youth, under the age of 21, make up about 18% of the Super Bowl viewing audience, we know there are a lot of underage people being exposed to alcohol advertising.”
Research shows that the more youth are exposed to alcohol advertising, the more likely they are to drink, drink more often and drink to excess. The effects of alcohol on developing adolescent minds and bodies can be devastating and long lasting.
Each day, 8,000 kids (between the ages of 1217) take their first drink of alcohol. Those who begin drinking before age 15 are five times more likely to develop alcohol problems later in life. Alcohol is associated with a variety of risky behaviors including teen violence, car crashes and sexual assaults (among many others) and can cause permanent damage to the still developing adolescent brain.
Though it is unrealistic to think parents could possibly shield their children from all alcohol advertising, there is something parents can do; talk to their children. Research reveals that kids whose parents talk to them often about the dangers of alcohol and other drugs are 50% less likely to use.
“The next time your children are watching TV, we encourage you (parents) to sit down with them, making it a teachable moment. Use the commercials as an opportunity to teach your children to read between the lines of advertisements, building their media literacy skills,” said Travis. “It’s an easy way to bring up the topic of underage drinking and to encourage your children to make healthy choices and avoid risky behaviors.”
The Drug-Free Coalition of Tippecanoe County brings together a cross-section of the community in a countywide effort to reduce youth and adult use and the negative impact of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs (ATOD) through multiple strategies across multiple sectors. For more information visit the resources link on our website www.drugfreetippecanoe.org