State attorneys general seek alcohol beverage ad clampdown

Want 85% of audience to be 21+, up from 70%

Arguing that minors are overly exposed to alcohol beverage advertising, a group of 20 state attorneys general are asking the Federal Trade Commission to investigate limiting beverage ads to media where no more than 15% of the audience is aged 12 to 20.

That’s half the 30% threshold that is now the industry standard.

“We believe the current voluntary industry standard – allowing up to 30% of the audience to be under age 21 – overexposes youth to alcohol advertising and is unacceptable,” Maryland attorney general J. Joseph Curran said in a release.

The call for a clampdown comes in response to the FTC’s request for input into whether it should collect data from alcohol beverage advertisers regarding their marketing practices, compliance with industry self-regulation and complaint procedures.

Adage.com reported that the reduced threshold could limit sports and Internet advertising (registration required):

A Nielsen Media Research spokeswoman said the change wouldn't push alcohol marketers off National Football League games; only 6.2% of NFL viewers were aged 12 to 20 during the regular season games last year. But a 2003 FTC report found that limiting alcohol advertising to media with only 15% of their audiences under age 21 would banish ads from some NBA and NHL telecasts and from magazines like GQ, Ebony, Men's Fitness and Shape.

Indeed, in 2003 the FTC said in its “Alcohol and Marketing Report to Congress”: “…a higher alcohol standard, such as 85%...would, of course, reduce the number of youths exposed to alcohol ads, but it would also prevent the companies from advertising in media where there is a substantial adult interest.”

The attorneys general also call on the FTC to review alcohol beverage marketer’s preplacement review and third-party complaint review procedures.

(Note: Second headline was changed for accuracy.)