Themes in Magazine Alcohol Advertisements: A Critique

Abstract

From a sample of 13 national magazines, each with the top circulation of its type, 454 alcohol advertisements were analyzed. Most prominent were ads with indirect appeals, associating the beverage with a desired outcome state—frequently a lifestyle. In order of frequency, these themes featured wealth-prestige-success, social approval, relaxation-leisure, hedonistic pleasure, exotic associations, individualistic behavior, and sex. The relationship between these values and the beverage was typically absent. Other appeals—direct, covert, and history-tradition-heritage—were also found. The ads are basically unrealistic and rest heavily on fantasy. A conceptual scheme for understanding the phenomena is presented, and several questions are posed for future policy considerations.