Alcohol industry ad spending climbs 39 percent

WASHINGTON - The alcohol industry poured money into advertising in 2002, with many of the ads reaching young people not old enough to drink, a university study says.

The report by Georgetown University’s Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth, released Wednesday, said the overall number of ads on network, local and cable television increased to 289,381 in 2002 — a 39 percent jump from the previous year. Industry spending on ads grew by 22 percent to more than $990 million.

The study found that significant ad increases for distilled spirits and low-alcohol refreshers such as Smirnoff Ice and Skyy Blue accounted for much of the ad jump.

Teens were more likely on a per capita basis than adults to have seen 66,218 of the ads, a 30 percent increase since 2001, according to the study.

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