Industry hosts a Social Norms Conference in Brussels

Anheuser-Busch inBev hosted a Conference in Brussels to discuss how the social norms theory could be used to develop and implement programmes to promote “responsible drinking” among young people.

The Conference was supported by the Brewers of Europe, NOCTIS and the National Social Norms Institute.

According to the presenter's version of social norms theory much of people's behaviour is influenced by their perception of how other members of their social group behave. According to this social norms theory, people tend to misperceive, i.e., exaggerate, the negative health behavior of their peers. If people think harmful behavior is typical, they are more likely to engage in that type of behavior.

The conference presenters advocated the use of social norms marketing as an effective means of bringing down drinking levels among young people.

They argued that in the case of alcohol consumption there is a gap between perception (how much young people think their peer group is drinking) and reality (how much the peer group is drinking in reality); in their view, it is only when this misperception is corrected that the drinking behaviour of young people has a chance to change.

The speakers pointed out that some public health campaigns, some movies (such as American Pie) and the press may reinforce the misconception that all young people drink and do so quite heavily. Of course, one could also suspect that the reason why the industry are so unhappy about the media raising awareness of youth binge drinking is primarily because it reinforces community awareness of the problems caused alcohol use. Over time, this awareness may reshape public opinion and attitudes towards alcohol, and help prepare the ground for alcohol policies and interventions.

Contrary to what research has shown [1], the presenters did not think that alcohol marketing was in any way responsible for young people perceiving greater social approval for drinking or believing that drinking was more common among peers and adults.

Furthermore, although they advocated the use of marketing techniques to correct these misconceptions, they denied the fact that alcohol marketing had any impact on consumption.

Additional information on the conference at www.socialnormsforum.eu.

Presentations:

- Social Norms Marketing: An Evidence-Based Strategy to Reduce High Risk Drinking

Jennifer Bauerle, Ph.D., Director, National Social Norms Institute, University of Virginia -

- Social Norms Marketing Program

James C. Turner, MD, University of Virginia

- Social Norms in Europe

John McAlaney, University of Bradford

- Social Norms in Action in a Public Space

Paul Foster, Croydon Council and Sgt. Geoff Cooper, Metropolitan Police Service

- A Reappraisal of Binge Britain: Social Norms and the UK Licensed Trade

Jon Collins, CGA Strategy and Paul Smith, Noctis

- Methods in Social Norms Approach

Professor Flemming Balvig, Dr. Jur., University of Copenhagen

Conference documents:

- Social Norms Forum Agenda

- Biographies of Presenters

- Introduction to Social Norms

- Social Norms Guidebook

- How to Create a Social Norms Programme