Research suggest that YouTube music videos promote positive associations with alcohol use. In the study “F*ck It! Let’s Get to Drinking—Poison our Livers!”: a Thematic Analysis of Alcohol Content in Contemporary YouTube Music Videos, researchers examine and describe the portrayal of alcohol content in popular YouTube music videos.
This study shows that several alcohol companies adopt marketing strategies in the video medium that are entirely inconsistent with their own or other agreed advertising codes of practice.It is concluded that, as a harm reduction measure, policies should change to prevent adolescent exposure to the positive promotion of alcohol and alcohol branding in music videos.
The analysis found that alcohol content was associated with sexualised imagery or lyrics and the objectification of women. Also, alcohol was associated with image, lifestyle and sociability. Finally, some videos showed alcohol overtly encouraging excessive drinking and drunkenness, including those containing branding, with no negative consequences to the drinker.
The study builds upon previous research (see this and this link) that showed that popular YouTube music videos are watched by a large number of British adolescents, particularly girls, and include significant tobacco and alcohol content, including branding.
This study has been included in the scientific publications database of EUCAM that can be accessed via this link.
