energy drinks and alcohol a dangerous combination

ENERGY DRINKS ENERGY DRINKS AND ALCOHOLAND ALCOHOLA Dangerous CombinationA Dangerous Combination

Statistics that bring us hereStatistics that bring us here ““The formula”The formula” Public health implicationsPublic health implications Targeting youthTargeting youth Viral marketingViral marketing Tools and resourcesTools and resources Questions and discussionQuestions and discussion

Today’s topics:

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Statistics that bring us here

Formula for getting kids hooked

Start withStart with A Sweetened, FlavoredA Sweetened, Flavored

Malt BeverageMalt Beverage

AddAddCaffeine andCaffeine and

Other StimulantsOther Stimulants↓↓

Alcoholic Energy Drinks

Common additivesCommon additives

CaffeineCaffeine

A drugA drug

Stimulates the central Stimulates the central nervous systemnervous system

Gives most people a Gives most people a temporary energy boosttemporary energy boost

Can cause anxiety, dizziness, Can cause anxiety, dizziness, headaches and the jittersheadaches and the jitters

Can cause calcium lossCan cause calcium loss

Can aggravate certain Can aggravate certain heart problemsheart problems

Thought to be safe in Thought to be safe in moderate amountsmoderate amounts

Moderate = 200-300 mg Moderate = 200-300 mg per dayper day for adults for adults

Caffeine (cont.)Caffeine (cont.)

Caffeine contentCaffeine content

Coffee, Starbucks tall latteCoffee, Starbucks tall latte 1212 75 75 6.2 6.2 Coffee, brewedCoffee, brewed 8 8 108108 13.413.4 PepsiPepsi 1212 38 38 3.2 3.2 Mountain DewMountain Dew 1212 55 55 4.6 4.6 Full ThrottleFull Throttle 1616 144144 9.0 9.0 MonsterMonster 1616 160160 10.010.0 Amp Lightning ChargeAmp Lightning Charge 16 16 160160 10.010.0 AriZona Green Tea EnergyAriZona Green Tea Energy 1616 200200 12.512.5 Rockstar Punched GuavaRockstar Punched Guava 2222 300 15.0300 15.0

ounces mg mg/oz.

Climbing shrub native to So. AmericaClimbing shrub native to So. America

Black seeds - rich source of caffeineBlack seeds - rich source of caffeine

Reputed to increase mental alertness, Reputed to increase mental alertness, stamina, physical endurancestamina, physical endurance

Use only under direction of MD if. . . Use only under direction of MD if. . . heart condition, anxiety, insomnia, kidney disease, heart condition, anxiety, insomnia, kidney disease, diabetes, epilepsy, high blood pressure, etc.diabetes, epilepsy, high blood pressure, etc.

GuaranaGuarana

TaurineTaurine Amino acid, found in meat, fish, and Amino acid, found in meat, fish, and

breast milkbreast milk

May increase mental performanceMay increase mental performance

Long-term effects of taurine + Long-term effects of taurine + caffeine??? Not enough studiescaffeine??? Not enough studies

In medicine, used as mild sedative In medicine, used as mild sedative to treat epilepsy to treat epilepsy

This is not “just a beer.”This is not “just a beer.”

4.2% ABV12 ounces

12% ABV24 ounces

Plus

•Guarana•Taurine•Caffeine•Artificial flavors•FD&C Red #40

Public health implicationsPublic health implications

Marketing + product design = youth and Marketing + product design = youth and young adult consumptionyoung adult consumption

Alcohol + stimulants = “wide awake drunk”Alcohol + stimulants = “wide awake drunk”

Stimulants mask alcohol’s intoxicating Stimulants mask alcohol’s intoxicating effects effects and promote risk takingand promote risk taking

Young people most likely to take risksYoung people most likely to take risks

The results: an exampleThe results: an example

Three-point-plan Three-point-plan for targeting youth for targeting youth

11) ) Create brand confusion with similar, Create brand confusion with similar, youth-friendly packagingyouth-friendly packaging

2) Provide a cheap alternative to 2) Provide a cheap alternative to mixing energy drinks with alcoholmixing energy drinks with alcohol

3) Deploy youth-friendly 3) Deploy youth-friendly grassroots and viral marketinggrassroots and viral marketing

Brand confusion:Brand confusion: Which contain alcohol? Which contain alcohol?

Only non-alcoholic brands Only non-alcoholic brands have nutrition facts and have nutrition facts and

ingredients listedingredients listed

Cost comparisonCost comparison

Non-Alcoholic Energy Drinks

Amp 16 oz can $2.29Red Bull 16 oz can $3.69Monster 24 oz can $2.99Rockstar 24 oz can $2.79Amp 24 oz can $3.49

Alcoholic Energy Drinks

Four Loko 24 oz can $2.99Joose 24 oz can $2.99

Viral marketingViral marketing

Company websitesCompany websites Fan sitesFan sites FacebookFacebook MySpaceMySpace YouTubeYouTube Fan-developed sitesFan-developed sites

Four Loko’s photo contestFour Loko’s photo contest“Here at Four we like it when you guys and girls flip out, get weird and go all crazy. We like it even more if you have a camera around to capture your most ridiculous, out of control, sexy, fun, cuddly, zany, spicy, demented, screwball moments while drinking Four. If you’re daring enough to submit a photo so provocative, absurd, uncivilized, titillating, uninhibited or fierce that we deem it the “Photo Contest Winner,” we’ll send you your pick of one of our hot new T-Shirts!”

• “I’ve been nursing this 24oz can for almost an hour and I am buzzing like a crackhead locked in a evidence room. This stuff is definitely worth the $2.50 a can price.”

************************• “Four Loko got its name because it sends the person who consumed it into FOUR STAGES OF CRAZY:

Stage 1: Tipsy (loud, might stumble, laugh) Stage 2: Drunk (embarassing, stumbling, slight slur) Stage 3: Wasted (heavy slur, falling, ... ) Stage 4: Black Out (no ability to speak, vomiting, ... memory loss)”

************************• “I showed your product to my friends a few months ago and they all loved it! Now, a weekend doesn’t go by without seeing empty JOOSE cans all over our frat house. We even had a JOOSE night before the bars.”

Viral marketing – Viral marketing – Actual website postingsActual website postings

Viral marketing – Viral marketing – Actual fan photosActual fan photos

From Four Loko’s “fan photos” section of the Four Loko Facebook page

From Joose’s “fan photos” section of the Joose Facebook page

The people that posted these photos are, according to their Facebook profiles, underage.

•Risk taking and rebellion

•More energy, more partying

•Sexual success

•Extreme sports

Alcoholic energy drinkAlcoholic energy drinkmarketing strategiesmarketing strategies

Website marketing Website marketing strategiesstrategies

Sites offer:Sites offer: ContestsContests Cell phone Cell phone

wallpaperswallpapers Fan feedbackFan feedback Popular slangPopular slang Modern designsModern designs Music playersMusic players Youth-friendly Youth-friendly

graphicsgraphics

Youth-friendly Youth-friendly advertisingadvertising

Tools and resourcesTools and resources

WebsitesWebsites– www.StartTalkingNow.orgwww.StartTalkingNow.org

Wash. State Coalition to Reduce Underage Drinking Wash. State Coalition to Reduce Underage Drinking

– www.MarinInstitute.orgwww.MarinInstitute.org Alcohol industry watchdog organizationAlcohol industry watchdog organization

– www.TheAntiDrug.comwww.TheAntiDrug.com A tool for parents and other A tool for parents and other

caregiverscaregivers

– www.StopAlcoholAbuse.govwww.StopAlcoholAbuse.gov Portal of federal resources Portal of federal resources

– www.camy.orgwww.camy.org Center on Alcohol Marketing and YouthCenter on Alcohol Marketing and Youth

Questions?Questions?

Thank you for attending!Thank you for attending!