Frogs Sell Beer: The Effects of Beer Advertisements on Adolescent Drinking Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behavior.

This present research reveals how beer advertising affects adolescents' knowledge of beer brands, drinking attitudes, and drinking behaviors. In addition to traditional psychological approaches for measuring media effects on alcohol-related behaviors and attitudes, market research advertising tracking methods were included to permit a clearer and more complete picture of the effects of beer advertising on young people. Seventh through twelfth grade students (N=1,588) attending mandatory health classes in midwestern suburban schools and eastern urban schools participated in the study. Correlation analyses were conducted to determine whether the amount of money spent advertising beer brands in 1998 and 1999 strongly predicted adolescents' brand awareness, preference, and highest brand loyalty among adolescents. Regression analyses were also conducted to determine the predictors of students' intention to drink beer after they turned 21 and to determine the predictors of students' actual drinking behaviors. The pattern of results showed that the media and advertisements are significant predictors, and perhaps the most significant predictor of adolescents' knowledge and preference for beer brands, drinking behaviors, brand loyalty, and intentions to drink. (Contains 2 figures, 2 tables, 1 appendix, and 40 references.) (Author/JDM)