Citation

Smith GL. Am. J. Public Health 2012; 102(5): 777a-778.

Affiliation

Guy L. Smith is with Diageo NA, Norwalk, CT.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, American Public Health Association)

DOI

10.2105/AJPH.2011.300624

PMID

22420812

Abstract

Mosher's article regarding Diageo's marketing practices is, in my opinion, seriously flawed and unsupported by government data and marketplace realities.(1) The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has conducted three investigations (1999, 2003, 2008) and each time concluded that alcohol advertising is directed at adults. The FTC's examinations of flavored malt beverages (FMBs) have included (1) an analysis of internal company documents regarding product development, marketing, and consumer research; (2) a review of advertising; and (3) a ten-city survey of product placement practices.(2) The FTC's 2003 Report to Congress, for example, found "no evidence of targeting underage consumers in the FMB market" and stated that "consumers who are 21 to 27 are the largest single group of FMB users, the majority of FMB drinkers are over the age of 27. Furthermore, the 2003 report pointed out that teen drinking continued to decline despite increases in FMB advertising.(3) (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print March 15, 2012: e1. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2011.300624).

Language: en