Alcohol advertisements on social media sites such as Facebook can encourage young adults to drink, especially if such content is followed by positive comments from users, a study has found.
Social media users who view alcohol ads are also more likely to "Like" or "Share" an ad when it has pro-drinking comments, according to the study published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.
"There is more information on social media than just a post or a message. We are exposed to how other users respond to a post, and it is those responses that can influence your desire to drink," said Jonathan Noel, from University of Connecticut in the US.
"Our findings suggest that comments left by other social media users may either reinforce or negate the message from a post," said Noel.
With hundreds of corporate-sponsored alcohol ads on social media sites, plus millions of views of alcohol ads on YouTube, alcohol companies have expanded platforms to reach young consumers.
The study suggests that the industry needs to improve the voluntary self-regulatory system that governs its advertising, possibly by limiting or banning comments on social media advertising.
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The research involved 120 young adults, ages 21 to 24, living in the US. Each participant viewed four online ads posted on Facebook.
The researchers then chose certain comments that would appear with the ads -- either pro-drinking comments that had accompanied that ad online or anti-drinking comments.
The ads also varied on whether there were a high number of Likes, Shares, or Comments.
After the participants viewed each advertisement, they were asked whether they thought the ad would increase the desire to drink. The participants also said whether they would Like or Share the ad they viewed.
The lowest desire to drink was found after participants were exposed to ads with anti-drinking comments plus a high "user engagement" (ie Likes/Shares/Comments).
The desire to drink was 3.5 times higher after participants saw an ad with pro-drinking comments and high user engagement.
Further, compared with the ads with anti-drinking comments, ads with pro-drinking comments left participants more than twice as likely to say they would Like or Share the ad.
"It's fascinating really. Not only might these comments influence the desire to drink, but they also can increase the reach and virality of the original message," said Noel.
Overall, though, it wasn't the number of Likes, Shares, and Comments that appeared to influence the participants but the type of comments, researchers said.
"Heavy alcohol users and those who are alcohol dependent may be the most susceptible to the potential effects of pro-drinking comments," the researchers write.
The ads, coupled with positive comments about drinking, may serve as alcohol cues "and an increased desire to drink after exposure to alcohol cues may predict relapse after treatment for alcoholism."
Currently, alcohol advertisers have a system of self-regulation in place intended to limit depictions of excessive use and appeals to young people, among other restrictions.
According to the researchers, the current results suggest that comments should be restricted or banned altogether on alcohol ads on social media.
Another possibility they suggest is that companies could use the comments sections to promote messages about moderate and responsible drinking.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
