Level(s): Grades 9 to 10
Overview
|
This lesson and all associated documents (handouts, overheads, backgrounders) is available in an easy-print, pdf kit version.
To open the lesson kit for printing, click here.
|
In this lesson, students explore issues surrounding the marketing of alcoholic beverages on the Internet. The lesson begins with a class discussion about personal experiences on alcohol industry Web sites, followed by a summary of the research findings of the U.S. Center for Media Education (CME) and Center on Alcohol Advertising to Youth on alcohol advertising on the Web. In addition, students become familiar with existing Canadian guidelines on the broadcasting of advertisements for alcoholic beverages and discuss the challenges of applying these guidelines to Web content. In groups, students deconstruct and evaluate current beer, liquor and wine Web sites using a checklist of youth-friendly marketing techniques. Group findings are presented to the class.
Note to Teacher: In this lesson students will be visiting alcohol Web sites which, in theory, are not intended for minors. Because of this, you may wish to have parental permission before sending the kids into sites that are nominally age-restricted.
Learning Outcomes
Students will demonstrate
an awareness of:
- the Internet as a sophisticated marketing tool
- the techniques used by online marketers to attract kids and teens
- the issues surrounding alcohol Web sites and youth
- their own responses and those of their peers to youth-oriented Web content
recognition of:
- “youth-friendly” features on adult-oriented Web sites
an appreciation of:
- the challenges relating to regulation of Internet content
- elements of design on commercial Web sites
Preparation and Materials
Procedure
Class Discussion
Today we’re going to look at issues surrounding alcohol advertising to youth on the Internet.
Before we begin, the first question that needs to be answered is why alcohol producers would want to target young people in the first place. Any suggestions? (The alcohol industry needs new drinkers because the drinking population is aging, consumption is dropping and brand competition is getting fiercer. If alcohol companies don’t attract young drinkers, they will continue the downhill track they’ve been on for the past 20 years. By recruiting young people, the industry is developing a lifetime’s worth of brand loyalty.)
Let’s move on to alcohol advertising on the Web.
- Have you or your friends ever visited an alcohol Web site?
- If so, for what product?
- Did you have to get past an age disclaimer? Was this a problem?
- Where did you get the idea to visit the site? (from a URL in an ad, from a friend, personal interest/curiosity, and so on.)
- Generally, did you enjoy your visit? Is it a site you would visit again?
- What activities or features did the site offer?
- What features did you like most?
- Would you say this site was similar to or different from other Web sites for teens? What are the similarities? What are the differences?
(Distribute the handout Alcohol Advertising on the Web and give students time to read it.)
Ask students:
- For alcohol producers, what makes the Internet such an attractive medium for reaching young people? (It’s a cool, youth-oriented environment, kids are usually online without parental supervision, it’s difficult to legislate, it’s interactive and provides opportunities to engage youth through online activities, it permits the collection of data from individuals through games, contests and memberships.)
- What is relational marketing? (Relational marketing is the building of community around a brand or product.)
- Why is the concept of “virtual community” important to marketers? (Surveys show that most young people view the Internet as a communication and socialization tool. As a result, companies offer young people "virtual communities" or forums where they can interact and talk with like-minded people.
Marketers value these "virtual communities" for a number of reasons:
- They attract a specific target audience.
- They bring visitors back again and again.
- They provide a place to promote and sell products, collect demographic and product-use information, and interact one-on-one with consumers.
- They build consumer loyalty.
- In its survey, the Center for Media Education (CME) found more “youth-friendly” Web sites for beer and liquor than for wine. Why might this be so? (This reflects existing patterns of consumption of alcoholic beverages by young people. Beer is the number one alcoholic beverage consumed by teens, followed by liquor [especially “alcopop” – malt liquor beverages]. Wine is not the beverage of choice for most teens and generally targets an older market.)
We're going to examine a few examples of the Web sites that the CME studied back in 1997 and 1998. Can you identify the features that might make them attractive to kids and teens?
(Put the JB Liquor Fairy overhead onto the projector.)
Discussion Points:
This youth-oriented site is interesting because Scotch is not an alcoholic beverage commonly consumed by young people. The most notable feature of this site was its use of irreverent language and graphics to present drinking as rebellious fun. The image of the "goody-goody '50s Mom" liquor fairy reinforces the notion that anyone who doesn't "get" drinking is square.
The first Web shot, of the age disclaimer page, trivializes the importance of ensuring visitors are of legal drinking age by telling visitors that if they lie about their age, the liquor fairy will put a curse on them.
In the second image, the dangers of over-drinking are further trivialized, as visitors are encouraged to share their most embarrassing drinking stories. The flippant language of the social responsibility message "drinking in moderation beats vomiting in excess" – paired with an activity that glamorizes getting drunk – makes light of the more serious consequences of drinking.
(Put the Heineken & Budweiser overhead onto the projector.)
Discussion Points:
This Heineken Web page tied into the popularity of the first Austin Powers movie – and that of its star, Mike Myers – to attract young people.
The Budweiser "Whassup" page also used cross-marketing, capitalizing on its immensely popular television commercials. On this page, teens could translate "whassup" into a language of their choice – and e-mail the voice clip to friends.
(Put the Malibu & Cuervo overhead onto the projector.)
Discussion Points:
When the CME surveyed alcohol sites in the mid-1990s they discovered games and activities that would appeal not only to teens, but to even younger kids. On the Malibu Rum site, visitors could create their own tunes and then play them back. The Cuervo Tequila site featured a River Run game that had little critters speeding down a river avoiding obstacles and collecting tequila bottles for points. (Another site for vodka featured a "colouring" page where kids could "click and colour" a picture of a vodka bottle.) These activities mimicked those on popular sites for kids.
One of the biggest problems relating to kids accessing alcohol Web sites is the fact that these sites aren’t regulated in the same way that more traditional forms of alcohol advertising are. Although there are laws in Canada and the U.S. that apply to electronic marketing to kids, these laws apply to kids’ Web sites. Because Web sites for alcohol sites are considered to be adult environments, these laws don’t apply.
- How do alcohol Web sites let users know that they are intended for adults? (Through the use of age disclaimers, where visitors must confirm that they are of legal drinking age before entering.)
- Do you think these age disclaimers prevent or discourage teens from visiting these sites? Why or why not?
(Distribute the CRTC Code for Advertising of Alcoholic Beverages on Radio and TV handout and review with students.)These are the guidelines that apply to the broadcast of alcohol ads in Canada. Think of the Web sites we’ve just looked at. Did any violate these guidelines? (Review overheads if necessary.)
Group Activity
Divide the class into four groups.
For this assignment, each group will deconstruct Web sites for beer, wine and liquor. Groups may either choose from the list provided or select an alcoholic beverage that is commonly advertised in teen-oriented magazines such as Spin, Vibe, Sports Illustrated, Cosmopolitan,and Rolling Stone. Students will also be asked to compare one corporate Web site to a site for one of its beverages.
Suggested Web sites:
Group One
Group Two
Group Three
Group Four
- Using the Alcohol on the Web Checklist, students will deconstruct various alcohol Web sites and determine the intended target audience for each site.
- In addition to completing the checklist, students will also record specific details about the youth-oriented features they come across.
- As a group, students will decide on the overall messaging about drinking that’s promoted on each site.
- Students will also note whether any of the Web sites would contravene existing CRTC guidelines.
- As part of this assignment, students will compare a corporate Web site with the Web site for one of its products. (In addition to comparing target audience, purpose and features, is there any contradiction between messaging on the corporate site and messages about alcohol on the product site?)
Once groups have completed their evaluations, they will present their findings in class. (Students may wish to use free software such as SnagIt to create overheads of specific Web pages.)
As part of their presentation, students will consider the CME recommendations from Alcohol Advertising on the Web and provide their own recommendations or guidelines for alcohol Web sites.
Once presentations are finished, ask students to consider the following:
- Compared with earlier sites for alcohol, would you say that, generally, today’s alcohol sites are more or less likely to appeal to teens?
- What role does cross-marketing (that is, promoting Web sites through magazine ads, commercials or contests) play in attracting underage consumers to alcohol Web sites?
- Do you believe alcohol advertising through the Internet is a more or a less effective way to build brand loyalty and recognition than through traditional commercials on TV and in magazines?
Evaluation
Teachers or students can use the Group Evaluation Assessment Rubric to evaluate group presentations.
