A Critical Analysis of Social Responsibility Practices in Alcohol Advertising Campaigns

Abstract

Culture plays a role in creating young alcoholics and has been at the center of debates about the 
impact of alcohol advertising on patterns of consumption. This research addressed the impact 
of alcohol advertising on local culture and its social implications in a developing economy. 
Stakeholders, including young people and marketing representatives from an alcohol producer 
in Country X, were examined to determine their perspectives of the use of alcohol advertising 
strategies. The findings were consistent with previous academic research and expectancy     
theory that indicate alcohol advertising can influence the normative behavior of young persons 
and their attitudes toward the use of alcohol. That is, alcohol producers can only claim to be 
socially responsible if their marketing strategies considers the concerns of the wider           
community. The Country X alcohol producer in this study, this claim requires organizational 
change to make the company more closely aligned to industry best practices.