Completed Projects

Contemporary Alcohol Marketing: Production and Interpretation of Meaning in Youth Cultures

As the marketing of alcohol to youth adapts to the postmodern commercial environment, public health researchers must study its changing practices.
 
This research project used discursive methods to examine the production and reception of contemporary alcohol marketing and the implications for health promotion marketing and alcohol policy for youth. 
 
To better understand the impact and effectiveness of postmodern marketing from a health promotion perspective, a review was made of academic and commercial literature on current trends in alcohol marketing.
 
The second part of the study gathered data on the impact of alcohol advertising through sequential affinity group interviews with young Maori and Tauiwi informants.
 
From these understandings, we improved our theoretical understanding of discourses about youth drinking behaviour and identity, and developed a range of recommendations and strategies that will resource communities, health oriented organisations, local and national policy organisations to improve health promotion messages.

Publications

McCreanor, T., Greenaway, A., Moewaka Barnes, H., Borell, S., Gregory, A. (2005) Youth identity formation and contemporary alcohol marketing. Critical Public Health, 15, 251-262. A181

McCreanor, T., Moewaka Barnes H., Gregory, M., Kaiwai, H., Borell, S. (2005) Consuming identities: alcohol marketing and the commodification of youth experience. Addiction Research and Theory, 13, 579- 590. A178

Researchers: Professor Sally Casswell, Professor Margaret Wetherell*, Ms Helen Moewaka Barnes, Dr Paul Duignan, Dr Tim McCreanor
 
*HoD, Faculty of Social Sciences, British Open University.

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