Doghouse: DISCUS PR Spin: Same Tune, Different Verse

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Published: Wednesday, January 08 2014 00:00

Written by Holley Shafer

January 8, 2014

The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) is at it again. In a recent press release, the industry trade group cited the continuing (though small) decline in underage binge drinking. DISCUS President Peter Cressy then credited the industry for the decline, slamming public health advocates and researchers who dare to suggest that the (remaining and costly) problem of alcohol-related harm actually stems from those who make and market alcohol, and who advocate for policies restricting access and exposure for youth.

Mr. Cressy finds himself in disagreement with the scientific community when it comes to evidence-based alcohol policy. A new study by Boston University’s School of Public Health, published in the peer-reviewed American Journal of Preventive Medicine, finds a strong link between effective population-based alcohol policies and significantly lower binge drinking rates. And yes, the most effective policies cited in the study--state monopoly on wholesale and retail sales; wholesale and retail price restrictions; higher beer taxes; and restrictions on outlet density—are the very same policies that Cressy describes as unfounded.

Of course, the alcohol industry and its trade groups prefer policies that make the companies look good, allowing them to continue their unregulated marketing tactics without reducing alcohol-related harm or consumption. That’s the purpose of the Century Council, an organization comprised of the same spirits producers as DISCUS: to promote policies that punish individuals for drinking problems, while ensuring the industry is not held accountable. The Century Council's latest celebrity ambassadors, Shaquille O’Neal and teen pop star Bella Thorne, are mouthpieces used to up the coolness factor of iDecide, an informational campaign that “focuses the importance of formulating and following individual decisions.” By steering the focus toward individual accountability, the industry successfully avoids being subjected to evidence-based, population-level regulatory policies that would require companies to find ways to make money without causing harm.

DISCUS members continue to avoid regulation of alcohol marketing as well, with industry's voluntary codes that allow overexposure of youth to alcohol advertising and harmful content. CAMY’s recent review of 1,800 magazine ads found them rife with inappropriate sexual content, misleading health claims, and high-risk consumption. Because the codes are voluntary, there is no real oversight--only a complaint from the public about a specific advertisement precipitates a review. The DISCUS Code Review Board, made up of industry executives, reviewed just two ads in violation of their lenient code in all of 2013. If the board finds in agreement with a complaint, the advertisement may be simply removed with no consequences to the producer, who has already benefited from the exposure and potential notoriety from the violating ad.

This was the case with the recent Dewar’s “Meet the Baron” advertisements, which sparked public questions and complaints of particularly sexist content last month. Dewar's owner Bacardi pulled the ad after whiskey bloggers, an online petition, a social media storm, and a public question regarding the DISCUS advertising code prompted DISCUS review #2 for 2013. A week after the ads (and related social media) were pulled, DISCUS ordered the Dewar's ads removed - and then trumpeted the supposed efficacy of the review system. Meanwhile, thousands of sexist alcohol ads from a variety of companies, in all media formats, remain available to the public.

That’s what makes the alcohol industry's self-regulation facade so successful. This is all business as usual for DISCUS, but how long can these companies get away with it? At some point, someone on the inside will have to stop the endless spin, and see that profits should not be made at the expense of the public's health and safety.