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Citation
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Dixon H, Scully M, Niederdeppe J, Brennan E, O'Brien K, Vandenberg B, Pettigrew S, Wakefield M. Addiction 2023; ePub(ePub): ePub. |
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Abstract
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AIMS: To test whether showing spectators counter-advertisements exposing alcohol harms alone, or exposing alcohol harms and alcohol sponsorship, before watching an alcohol-sponsored sporting event promotes less favourable post-event attitudes and intentions towards alcohol sponsor brands and alcohol in general.
DESIGN: On-line between-subjects experiment. SETTING: Australia. PARTICIPANTS: A sample of Australian adults aged 18-49 years who planned to watch an alcohol-sponsored National Rugby League (NRL) State of Origin series game was recruited through an online panel. INTERVENTIONS: Participants were randomly assigned to one of three counter-advertising conditions: control (neutral advertisement); counter-advertisement exposing alcohol harms; and counter-advertisement exposing alcohol sponsorship and harms, to view at least four times during the week before watching the alcohol-sponsored sporting event. MEASUREMENTS: Participants (n = 1932) completed a pre-test questionnaire a week before the sporting event. Within 4 days of watching the sporting event, participants completed post-test measures assessing sponsor brand awareness, attitudes and preferences towards the brand, as well as knowledge, attitudes and intentions for alcohol in general (n = 1075).
FINDINGS: Compared with the control advertisement, the counter-advertisement exposing alcohol sponsorship and harms promoted higher (6-13%) awareness of sponsor brands, less favourable attitudes towards sponsor brands and drinking beer, lower purchase intentions for sponsor brands (Cohen's d = 0.15, 0.31, 0.27, respectively) and perceived less image-based similarity and fit between the sporting event and sponsor brands (Cohen's d = 0.20 and 0.56). Both counter-advertisements promoted lower perceptions of the appropriateness of consuming alcohol while watching sport (Cohen's d = 0.22 and 0.34), higher awareness of alcohol harms (6-34%) and higher intentions (8-13%) to reduce alcohol consumption than the control advertisement.
CONCLUSIONS: At alcohol-sponsored sporting events, counter-advertisements addressing alcohol harms may promote knowledge of harms and intentions to drink less. Counter-advertisements that additionally expose and critique alcohol sponsorship may detract from perceptions of sponsor brand image and intentions to purchase the sponsor's products.
Language: en |