title: Impact of alcohol-promoting and alcohol-warning advertisements on alcohol consumption, affect, and implicit cognition in heavy-drinking young adults: A laboratory-based randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There is sparse evidence regarding the effect of alcohol-advertising exposure on alcohol consumption among heavy drinkers. This study aimed to assess the immediate effects of alcohol-promoting and alcohol-warning video advertising on objective alcohol consumption in heavy-drinking young adults, and to examine underlying processes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between-participants randomized controlled trial with three conditions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and four young adults (aged 18-25) who self-reported as heavy drinkers were randomized to view one of three sets of 10 video advertisements that included either (1) alcohol-promoting, (2) alcohol-warning, or (3) non-alcohol advertisements. The primary outcome was the proportion of alcoholic beverages consumed in a sham taste test. Affective responses to advertisements, implicit alcohol approach bias, and alcohol attentional bias were assessed as secondary outcomes and possible mediators. Typical alcohol consumption, Internet use, and television use were measured as covariates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no main effect of condition on alcohol consumption. Participants exposed to alcohol-promoting advertisements showed increased positive affect and an increased approach/reduced avoidance bias towards alcohol relative to those exposed to non-alcohol advertisements. There was an indirect effect of exposure to alcohol-warning advertisements on reduced alcohol consumption via negative affect experienced in response to these advertisements.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Restricting alcohol-promoting advertising could remove a potential influence on positive alcohol-related emotions and cognitions among heavy-drinking young adults. Producing alcohol-warning advertising that generates negative emotion may be an effective strategy to reduce alcohol consumption. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Exposure to alcohol advertising has immediate and distal effects on alcohol consumption. There is some evidence that effects may be larger in heavy drinkers. Alcohol-warning advertising has been found to have mixed effects on alcohol-related cognitions. What does this study add? Among heavy-drinking young adults: Alcohol advertising does not appear to have an immediate impact on alcohol consumption. Alcohol advertising generates positive affect and increases alcohol approach bias. Alcohol-warning advertising that generates displeasure reduces alcohol consumption.
authors.affiliation: Behaviour and Health Research Unit, University of Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Kaidy
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9279-7042
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Stautz
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, School of Applied Sciences, London South Bank University, UK.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Frings
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, School of Applied Sciences, London South Bank University, UK.
authors.forename: Ian P
authors.initials: IP
authors.lastname: Albery
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, School of Applied Sciences, London South Bank University, UK.
authors.forename: Antony C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Moss
authors.affiliation: Behaviour and Health Research Unit, University of Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Theresa M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Marteau
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000329:Advertising / Q000379:methods*; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000434:Alcoholic Beverages; D000437:Alcoholism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: alcohol advertising; alcohol marketing; alcohol warnings; heavy drinkers; implicit cognition; randomized controlled trial; video; young adults