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CNN Live Today

Alcopops Ads Targeting Kids?

Aired July 16, 2002 - 12:45   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: They're advertised as fruity malt beverages. And folks are buying them. But some wonder whether the ads are reaching the right audience.

Our medical correspondent Rea Blakey joins us now from Washington.

Tell us more about these ads -- hi, Rea.

REA BLAKEY, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra.

It really has to do with impact of voluntarily advertising standards that the liquor and beer industries enjoy. Those products you are referring to, called malternatives or alcopops, those fruity malt beverages, well, according to "Advertising Age," the companies that produce them spent $77 million last year on TV ads for those products.

Now, this year, the industry is expected to spend $450 million advertising those products on the tube. That is a more than five-fold increase in ad dollars. Well, the rub here is, the Centers for Science in Public Interest, CSPI, says too many of the eyeballs watching alcopops ads belong to teenagers. A recent survey commissioned by CSPI concludes that 77 percent of U.S. teens are watching TV after 9:00 p.m. That's the hour at which malternative ads often begin airing. And most of those teens believe the ads target them as well as adults.

Also, most of those teens responding to the survey say they have actually seen the alcohol ads on TV. According CSPI, that post-9:00 p.m. exposure is just a backdoor way for liquor companies to get their brands in front of some young audiences.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE HACKER, CENTER FOR SCIENCE IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST: If you look at how kids recall ads for alcoholic beverage products in comparison to products for movies, cosmetics, automobiles, three other product categories in which teens have very strong interests, you find that the alcohol marketers are getting a bigger bang for their buck.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLAKEY: It was about a year ago when CSPI first publicly denounced alcopops. And they claimed, along with targeting teens through advertising, the malt beverages are often displayed in stores with nonalcoholic beverages. But an investigation by the Federal Trade Commission disputes the claim. And the FTC investigation concludes that TV ads for the malt-flavored beverages do not appear to target minors.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LISA HAWKINS, DISTILLED SPIRITS COUNCIL: There was no merit when CSPI brought these claims last year. And there is absolutely no merit now. The Federal Trade Commission has taken a look at these ads. They have dismissed CSPI's complaint. And we don't believe any further action is needed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLAKEY: The FTC investigation, which concluded several weeks ago, does suggest the need for label improvements, saying some alcohol products don't clearly disclose the alcohol content.

However, Kyra, current federal regulations on malt beverages do not require alcohol content be disclosed. And there's the story.

PHILLIPS: Interesting. All right, Rea Blakey, thank you.

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