Advertising Works. Wait, No It Doesn't
Reactions to market research studies are always far more fascinating than the results themselves as most studies simply confirm the obvious. So, out comes a study from the University of Connecticut's Center for Health Communications and Health Marketing that claimed alcohol advertising increased alcohol consumption. Hooray. Advertising works. Next. But wait, not so fast. Advertising, when it comes to alcohol and the AAAA - that fine ad agency cheerleading organization - doesn't really work.
Referring to the study, AAAA Executive VP told Ad Age, "We've seen over the last several decades that as alcohol advertising spending increased, underage drinking substantially decreased." To be fair, he's referring to underage drinking and not all drinking but it is a bit humorous when it comes to alcohol, fast food and "less noble" advertising in that, without fail, when these issues come up, advertising only works when it's promoting something "good." Otherwise, it can't possibly have anything to do with promoting something "bad."
Comments
Actually I think you're misreading this. What the 4A's are saying is not that advertising does not work, what they are trying to say (for obvious political reasons) is that alcohol advertising nowadays is so targeted that even though budgets have increased, the ability to focus campaigns on 'legal'audiences means that youth are exposed less and so consumption rates in this audience have declined.
Ah...no wonder we misread it. Had the AAAA's actually said what you say they meant to say, we would have had no problem understanding their point.