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The Santa Fe County DWI Program budget for the current fiscal year is $1.02 million.  The liquor industry spends approximately $2.7 million for a 30-second commercial during the Super Bowl.  The Santa Fe County DWI program endorses a newly revised version of a free lesson (http://www.medialiteracy.net) that parents and teachers can use to increase children’s awareness of the impact of alcohol-related marketing messages.  “We hope parents and teachers will have a ‘Media Monday’ the day after the game,” says Rebecca Beardsley, Santa Fe County DWI Program Coordinator, “It can be a fun opportunity to educate our children.”  The lesson asks students to keep a log of alcohol promotions during an hour of the game, and then provides resources for analyzing alcohol ads in class the next day.
 
In the past decade, Americans have come to understand how tobacco companies market cigarettes to kids, and have taken strong actions to limit abusive advertising practices.  It is time parents demand the same accountability from the alcohol industry.  Alcohol companies know the Super Bowl attracts kids, and for the past 20 years, Budweiser has been its largest advertiser, consistently running 8 to 10 commercials during the big game.  Despite claims that they do not market to children, Budweiser knows kids are watching—14 Million youth below age 18 watched last year’s Super Bowl according to Nielsen ratings, and over 7 million of them were under 12.
 
Capitalizing on our younger viewers, Budweiser has consistently aired commercials containing what kids love most in ads—cute animals, humor, and fun music--such as last year’s highest rated spot Super Bowl spot that clearly featured elements targeting children.  It told the story of a dog that trains a forlorn horse to join the Budweiser team.
 
Studies show that 4 in 10 teenagers who get drunk by age 15 become alcoholics later in life, and brain scans of teens that drink show they suffer an average 10% loss of brain function compared to non-drinking teens.
 
For more information, contact Rebecca Beardsley at 992.9842.