Read the original telegraph article here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/10425137/Online-alcohol-marketing-encourages-culture-of-intoxication-in-young-people-study-suggests.html

Through the platform of social media, alcohol brands have become an integral part of young people’s lifestyle, reinforcing the widespread culture of intoxication. For instance, alcohol companies (including Corona, Heineken, Smirnoff and Jack Daniels) are using Twitter to attract a young and potentially underage audience, prompting calls for stricter regulation of social media.

Here’s a photo Corona published via its public Twitter account of 8752 followers. Posts like above associate drinking with positive themes by reinforcing that drinking is about fun, socialising and pleasure. Alcohol brands primarily targets young audience. These cumulative exposure might encourage underage viewers to engage in risky drinking behaviors.

According to Brian Vandenberg, Victorian Cancer Council senior policy adviser, young people are bombarded with positive images of alcohol which encourages them to start drinking at an earlier age. The younger people start drinking, the more likely they are to drink at risky levels, and have alcohol problems later in life, including the cancer risks

Furthermore, social media is not the only poorly regulated platform utilized by alcohol brands. Other “below the line” marketing strategies include sponsorship of football shirts and festivals. While young people may not always recognize these marketing strategies, it is indisputable that the government should reevaluate its current framework of regulation.

On the other hand, the current health promotion has been outmoded. In my opinion, while corporate practices and online alcohol marketing strategy need to be examined, the health organization should also take advantage of the same channel of communication to establish safer drinking initiatives.