Get Youth Involved in Counter Super Bowl Alcohol Advertising

The NFL Super Bowl is known for its commercials as much as the game itself. Did you know that about 18 percent of the Super Bowl's total viewing audience will be youth under 21, meaning that children and youth will be exposed to the dozens of alcohol-related commercials shown during the Super Bowl? To help shed light on how alcohol advertising impacts youth, the Drug-Free Action Alliance is inviting youth to participate in their Big Bowl Vote 2011, an annual survey open to middle and high school students.

Last year, more than 40,000 middle and high school students in 39 states participated in the Drug-Free Action Alliance Super Bowl Survey 2010, which once again revealed the youth appeal of alcohol advertising. This year, the newly branded survey is called Drug-Free Action Alliance Big Bowl Vote 2011.

Through a simple, two-question, student survey given Monday morning following the Super Bowl, middle and high school students share their impressions on what advertisements they remember seeing and which commercial was their favorite. Drug-Free Action Alliance will collect and summarize the data, and you’ll receive the results just days after the Super Bowl. The NFL’s Super Bowl XLV is scheduled for February 6, 2011, with television coverage on FOX.

This valuable, fresh and local information can then be used to educate parents, students, lawmakers and the media about the effects of alcohol advertising on youth.

Why is this data important? Because, through research, we know that the more youth are exposed to alcohol in advertising, the more likely they are to consume alcohol underage. So getting this type of information out to lawmakers and the media is key.

Download the Big Bowl Vote Toolkit that includes everything you’ll need to quickly and easily implement your local student survey, with additional ideas on student engagement and follow-up activities. Visit www.DrugFreeActionAlliance.org or contact Michelle Morse at mmorse@DrugFreeActionAlliance.org with questions or for more information.