Media release from: Group Against Liquor Advertising
Alcohol Advertising
18 July 2002
The canning of the DB "Summer’s Here" alcohol advertisements by the Advertising Standards Appeal Board is good news,
albeit too little too late. With winter here these ads are already outdated, the self-regulation process having taken at
least 6 months. Long enough for the billboards to get their message across.
The young drinkers’ market has been targeted more and more by alcohol advertising. In particular the chinheads and the
Tui Yeah Right campaigns have been designed to amuse and entice the young.
The only way to stop these funny glamour ads encouraging youth drinking is to prohibit them.
With a problem of excessive youth drinking in New Zealand, it is time Government took the issue seriously and moved to
constrain the liquor and advertising industries.
ALAC has estimated the cost to the health services etc of lowering the drinking age is about $80 million per year. The
economic effects of alcohol advertising on youth have not been evaluated. Binge drinking by teenagers has doubled since
alcohol advertising was introduced.
Events associated with youth drinking include road crashes, other "accidents", crime, suicide, unplanned pregnancies
and sexually transmitted disease.
Dr Viola Palmer
Chairperson, Group Against Liquor Advertising
Contact: ph 04 298 2952