While traditional tobacco and alcohol marketing remains a potent influence among youth, new technologies are fundamentally altering the marketing landscape. Even as the "information superhighway" has given way to a Web devoted largely to commerce, marketing is one of the least understood aspects of the new media culture. With our partners at the Center for Digital Democracy, we are conducting a descriptive study to identify and analyze the emerging tobacco and alcohol digital marketing practices.
Case studies
Using our analysis of the digital food marketing as a starting point, we will develop a series of case studies describing how tobacco and alcohol marketers are using digital techniques, particularly those that appeal to youth and youth of color. To identify digital campaigns from alcohol and tobacco marketers, we will collect information from (1) media and advertising industry white papers, research reports, press kits, and trade publications: (2) tobacco, alcohol, and advertising companies' own public documents, press statements, Web sites and other online content: and (3) online tobacco industry document repositories. The case studies will assess the policy implications for alcohol and tobacco and alcohol indutry's own marketing codes. The findings from this study will help public health advocates, policy makers, parents and the public understand how tobacco and alcohol companies are reaching their markets, including youth and youth of color, in the new digital age.
