Action Alert: PG-13 'Casino Royale' Using Bond to Promote Alcohol to Kids
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Everyone knows that James Bond likes his martinis, but why is he pitching vodka and beer to kids in his new PG-13 movie “Casino Royale” ? Both Smirnoff Vodka and Heineken appear in the film and in a massive worldwide co-promotional campaign.
UPDATE: Happy birthday to Michelle Trachtenberg (Ice Princess, Harriet the Spy, Buffy the Vampire Slayer), who turned 21 on October 11, 2006. One month later she helped host an event announcing the winners of the SMIRNOFF Vodka’s “Shaken and Stirred” DJ contest, part of a blitz of co-promotions tying the brand to the new James Bond film, Casino Royale. We understand Trachtenberg (best known for her role as little sister Dawn on the series Buffy the Vampire Slayer) wants everyone to know she’s all grown up. But Smirnoff showed its cards by featuring the barely legal actress whose main appeal is to children and pre-teens. Michelle may not understand this strategy, but Smirnoff does! |
Why is this a problem? A recent study published in the American Medical Association’s Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine confirms that the more alcohol advertising young people see, the more they drink. The big alcohol makers profit heavily from underage drinking. Youth under 21 account for 20 cents of every dollar spent on alcohol. It is no accident that Big Alcohol’s advertising and co-promotions fuel underage drinking by targeting teens as young as thirteen years of age. By using their favorite actors and actresses, they plan to legitimize their products to a younger and younger audience.
PG-13 movies should be off-limits to alcohol advertising, according to the industry’s own marketing guidelines, which state that they cannot advertise in venues where over 30% of the audience is under age. No one keeps a close eye on how many teens actually go to PG-13 movies, so alcohol companies feel free to exploit this channel to reach youth.
They will only stop targeting our kids if we speak up and complain. We've seen this before! See how watchdogs stopped Coors from using PG-13 movies.
Send a Message to Heineken and Smirnoff today!
