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Several beer companies have announced plans to increase marketing to the Hispanic community.

The companies say its simply good business to pay attention to the fastest growing segment of the U.S. population. But some Hispanic leaders are worried about their children.

There are now more beer ads in magazines, billboards and on Spanish-Language television.

“I actually see an ad everyday,” says 18-year-old Angel Sigala, “everyday in the morning when I drive to school.”

The Miller Brewing Company has a $100-million dollar deal with Univision, a Spanish-language broadcaster.

And Anheuser-Busch has increased spending in Latino media by two-thirds.

Nearly half the Hispanic population in the U.S. is under the age of 21, which means it’s inevitable that underage kids will see the ads.

“The more ads that they get to see, the higher the probability that they will try alcohol at an early age,” says Dr. Pierluigi Mancini, the executive director of CETPA, the Clinic for Education, Treatment and Prevention of Addiction in Atlanta.

In fact, a study from the National Institutes of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reports that for every alcohol advertisement a teenager sees, the likelihood of that teen drinking goes up by one-percent.

And studies show Hispanic kids see more ads than their peers.

“During the programs that are watched by youth,” says Dr. Mancini, “we see a very high number of alcohol commercials.”

So what should parents do?

“I think if you are watching TV and an alcohol ad comes up,” says Dr. Mancini, “that is a great opportunity to ask your child, ‘Did you see that ad?’”

He says parents should help their kids understand that beer ads present fantasy – and not reality.

“The people on the commercials,” says Angel, “they just sit there on the beach drinking, and they make life seem so perfect.”

“All the guys are all sharp and handsome,” adds 18-year-old Jonathan Zuniga, “and all the girls are all beautiful and all that stuff.”

What We Need To Know

• Limit your child’s exposure to commercials. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no more than one to two hours of television per day. (American Academy of Pediatrics)




• Discuss beer advertisements with your children. When you spot an ad, ask your child what he or she remembers from the ad. Ask your child what information he or she believes the sponsors left out. (Dr. Pierluigi Mancini, Ph.D., Addiction Specialist)




• Make sure your children understand the health risks of drinking. Early research suggests alcohol can stop the teenage brain from growing. Duke University researchers scanned the brains of teens recovering from drinking problems. They found that the teens who drank a lot had smaller prefrontal cortexes than those who did not. The prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain responsible for judgment, planning, and critical thinking. (Duke University Medical Center)




• Parents should lock up their own alcohol. The number one place where underage kids get alcohol is their own homes. (Dr. Pierluigi Mancini, Ph.D., Addiction Specialist)

Resources

• Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth, Georgetown University
• Latino Council on Alcohol and Tobacco Prevention
• American Academy of Pediatrics, Media Guidelines for Parents
• Dr. Pierluigi Mancini, Ph.D., Executive Director, CETPA Clinic for Education, Treatment, and Prevention of Addiction

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