It’s no secret that many kids see ads for alcohol – on TV, online, in magazines, and on billboards. One 2006 study suggests that the typical child sees about 23 alcohol ads per month. And the ads work; a study published the next year found that adolescents who saw alcohol ads were 50 percent more likely to be consuming alcohol a year later.

An obvious way to deal with this is not to let them see alcohol advertising. But this is mighty difficult to do, since many prime-time shows and cable networks popular with youth and adolescents show alcohol advertising. So how should parents handle their children’s exposure?

Watch it with them, and talk about it. According to a study in the Journal of Adolescent Health, parental guidance had a positive impact on a number of outcomes among young people age 9 – 17. So what should you say?

Ask them what they like about the ads. Be specific. Help them identify aspects of the commercial – attractive people, fun, music, bright colors, etc. – that attracts their attention.

Ask them what the ad is supposed to do, and who is supposed to see it. This helps them understand the purpose of advertising, which isn’t always clear to younger children. The second part helps them understand that ads target specific groups of people, and that they themselves might be in that group.

Ask them if they think the ads are realistic. This encourages kids to engage rationally with the commercial, and a rational, cognitive response can help counter the “I like it, it looks cool” reaction. Older kids might have heard about some of the negative consequences of overconsumption, and they might recognize that such things are left out of the ads.

The key is to engage kids and ask them questions about the ad, rather than merely telling them what you think about it. Asking questions encourages them to think critically about such media messages, and may help them make better decisions in the years to come.

Have you had any conversations with your kids about alcohol advertising?

(sources: E.W. Austin, M.-J. Chen, and J. W. Grube. (2006). How does alcohol advertising influence underage drinking? The role of desirability, identification and skepticism. Journal of Adolescent Health 38: 376–384; http://www.camy.org/factsheets/sheets/Television_Alcohol_Ads_and_Youth_2001_to_2005.html)