Four Australians have shared their stories of how alcohol ads have affected their lives.
Advertising infiltrates every part of our lives, from we take the train or wait for the bus, to scrolling our feed or watching sport. It is almost impossible to opt out.
Alcohol advertising is especially harmful because alcohol is an addictive product. Tobacco ads were phased out in the 1990s with good reason, because exposing people to ads for such a harmful product was hurting the community.
Alcohol ads are proven to increase harm; children and young people exposed to alcohol ads are more likely to begin drinking alcohol earlier and go on to drink at higher risk levels.
Major sports are saturated with alcohol sponsorship and advertising, at the same time as data shows gender-based violence increases during events like the State of Origin and the AFL Grand Final.
Whether through alcohol’s deep involvement with sport, personalised ads or not being able to opt-out, these are unique perspectives on alcohol ads underscoring the need to improve systems and put commonsense measures in place to reduce harmful ads.
‘Parents shouldn’t have to choose’: Reducing harmful ads in sport
Growing up, sport was a huge part of William’s life. He spent weekends playing and watching his favourite games.
Now, William has his own son, Robin, who is an avid tennis fan and loves nothing more than watching sport on the weekend. It has made William increasingly aware of the influence alcohol ads can have on his family and led him to launch a legal case seeking to improve the rules that allow alcohol ads on TV during sports broadcasts.
“Like most Australians I think it is wrong that alcohol ads can be shown during sports programs when children are watching,” he said.
“Unlike adults, children are too young to understand the risks of alcohol and advertising tactics. Parents should not have to choose between letting children be exposed to alcohol ads or reducing their viewing to protect them.”
‘Alcohol companies would send special deals when he was in a really vulnerable state’
Alex Bagnara understands just how harmful, intrusive, and persistent targeted ads can be.
She had supported her friend Greg*, with his alcohol use for many years. Sadly in 2023, Greg died at 46-years-old due to alcohol-related organ failure.
The experience spurred Alex to advocate for better measures around alcohol advertising and rapid home delivery, which she says in Greg’s experience made managing his alcohol use significantly more difficult.
“Alcohol companies would often send my friend push notifications with special deals and reminders when he was in a really vulnerable state,” Alex said.
“They would deliver him alcohol with little or no vetting. I am sure that there were times when he was sold alcohol online, while already intoxicated. More needs to be done to hold alcohol companies to a higher standard when it comes to marketing and selling alcohol online.”
Former alcohol marketer calls for stronger measures to address industry tactics
As a wine marketer for 20 years, Simon has seen firsthand the tactics alcohol companies use to sell their products.
From linking alcohol to birthdays, sporting events and life milestones to selling it as an ‘essential’ part of spending time with loved ones.
Upon leaving the industry, Simon began to reflect on alcohol’s role in his own life and in deciding to cut alcohol out, became aware of just how invasive marketing could be with minimal safeguards in place.
“There’s a big disconnect here in terms of the freedom that the industry is allowed to promote those messages … compared to the way tobacco has been monitored and is now regulated,” he said.
Oliver can’t escape ‘very intrusive’ ads, despite choosing to cut out alcohol
Oliver chose to cut out alcohol seven years ago and immediately noticed benefits to his quality of sleep and overall wellbeing.
Despite Oliver’s choice not to drink alcohol, there’s one thing he doesn’t have a choice about: Alcohol ads are all around him.
“I find alcohol advertising very intrusive. It’s everywhere, and it’s not just billboards; it follows me into my home through my phone. When I’m just trying to look at things – like I’m on Facebook Marketplace a lot – it even follows me there,” he said.
“With sports it’s on the players, on the field, on the barriers, on the ads and it’s so normalised. I saw an ad for the Melbourne Cup recently, and it was just a photo of a whole bunch of people drinking in a bar.
“So the fact I’m being force-fed alcohol ads everywhere is really frustrating, and there’s no opt out.”
Solutions are available
There are a range of steps governments and regulators can take right now to reduce harmful ads.
A recent federal government inquiry into alcohol and other drugs recommended a mandatory alcohol advertising and marketing regulatory framework.
At the moment, alcohol companies are largely left to set their own rules about where, when and how they can promote their products.
A national framework could ensure that responsibility sits with our government, to ensure the health and wellbeing of the community is at the centre of any decisions about alcohol advertising.
Another solution sits with the media regulator, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), as it’s currently reviewing the rules for alcohol ads on TV. It has the opportunity to close a loophole that allows alcohol ads any time of day on weekends and public holidays, during a sports broadcast.
These are simple, community-backed measures that would go a long way to reduce harm.
