FTC Issues Report on Alcohol Marketing and Self Regulation

On June 26, the Federal Trade Commission released its third report since 1999 analyzing the self-regulatory programs of the alcoholic beverage industry with regard to marketing of alcohol products. The FTC report was the most positive to date, concluding that self-regulation efforts are largely effective. In response to earlier reports, the alcohol industry has continually strengthened its self-regulatory program, agreeing to require advertisers to obtain audience demographic data prior to placing ads and requiring that at least 70 percent of the audience for print, radio, and television advertisements be over the legal drinking age.