Dixon H, Scully M, Niederdeppe J, Brennan E, O'Brien K, Vandenberg B, Pettigrew S, Wakefield M. Can counter-advertising dilute marketing effects of alcohol sponsorship of elite sport: A field experiment.
Addiction 2023;
118:2360-2373. [PMID:
37563764 PMCID:
PMC10952974 DOI:
10.1111/add.16317]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
AIMS
To test whether showing spectators counter-advertisements exposing alcohol harms alone, or exposing alcohol harms and alcohol sponsorship, before watching an alcohol-sponsored sporting event promotes less favourable post-event attitudes and intentions towards alcohol sponsor brands and alcohol in general.
DESIGN
On-line between-subjects experiment.
SETTING
Australia.
PARTICIPANTS
A sample of Australian adults aged 18-49 years who planned to watch an alcohol-sponsored National Rugby League (NRL) State of Origin series game was recruited through an online panel.
INTERVENTIONS
Participants were randomly assigned to one of three counter-advertising conditions: control (neutral advertisement); counter-advertisement exposing alcohol harms; and counter-advertisement exposing alcohol sponsorship and harms, to view at least four times during the week before watching the alcohol-sponsored sporting event.
MEASUREMENTS
Participants (n = 1932) completed a pre-test questionnaire a week before the sporting event. Within 4 days of watching the sporting event, participants completed post-test measures assessing sponsor brand awareness, attitudes and preferences towards the brand, as well as knowledge, attitudes and intentions for alcohol in general (n = 1075).
FINDINGS
Compared with the control advertisement, the counter-advertisement exposing alcohol sponsorship and harms promoted higher (6-13%) awareness of sponsor brands, less favourable attitudes towards sponsor brands and drinking beer, lower purchase intentions for sponsor brands (Cohen's d = 0.15, 0.31, 0.27, respectively) and perceived less image-based similarity and fit between the sporting event and sponsor brands (Cohen's d = 0.20 and 0.56). Both counter-advertisements promoted lower perceptions of the appropriateness of consuming alcohol while watching sport (Cohen's d = 0.22 and 0.34), higher awareness of alcohol harms (6-34%) and higher intentions (8-13%) to reduce alcohol consumption than the control advertisement.
CONCLUSIONS
At alcohol-sponsored sporting events, counter-advertisements addressing alcohol harms may promote knowledge of harms and intentions to drink less. Counter-advertisements that additionally expose and critique alcohol sponsorship may detract from perceptions of sponsor brand image and intentions to purchase the sponsor's products.
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