AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE LEVEL OF AWARENESS AMONG TERTIARY STUDENTS REGARDING THE PRESENCE OF THE 18+ WARNING SIGN ON ALCOHOL ADVERTISEMENTS

Background: The impact of advertising on the consumption of alcoholic beverages, particularly among young people, has been recognised as a significant contributing factor (Alcohol Concern, 2013). By employing various advertising execution techniques, including but not limited to humour, celebrity endorsement, and music, advertisers possess the capability to incorporate compelling visuals that strike a chord with susceptible adolescents. Despite the well-documented social and health consequences associated with alcohol consumption, as well as the limited awareness of warning signs among adults, it is evident from the literature that the connection between advertising warning signs and alcohol consumption remains an area that has not received sufficient attention in research. The research investigated the perception of Nigerian university undergraduates towards the 18+ cautionary label featured in alcoholic beverage advertisements.
The research design utilised in this study was the survey research design. The study focused on a target population consisting of 195,000 undergraduate students who were enrolled in nine specifically chosen universities located in the South-West region of Nigeria. The selection process employed a multi-stage sampling technique. The technique of purposive sampling was employed to carefully select three states, namely Lagos, Ogun, and Oyo, taking into consideration the high density of universities within these states. The universities within the designated states were categorised into three distinct tiers: Federal, State, and Private. A deliberate selection process was employed to choose three universities from each state, with one university being selected from each stratum. The formula devised by Gay, Geoffrey, and Peter was utilised to determine the sample size of 1,950 respondents. These respondents were then allocated proportionately among the nine universities that were selected. The instrument utilised in this study was a validated questionnaire. The Cronbach's Alpha coefficients for the constructs exhibited a range of 0.735 to 0.945. The response rate achieved an impressive level of 95.7%. The data underwent thorough analysis utilising advanced statistical techniques such as correlation and regression analyses.
The results of the study indicated a noteworthy correlation between the students' knowledge of the 18+ warning sign and their attitudes towards consumption (r=0.242; p<0.05). A noteworthy correlation was observed between the students' ability to recognise the 18+ warning sign and their attitudes towards consumption (r=0.485; p<0.05). Furthermore, it is worth noting that a noteworthy and substantial correlation was observed between the perception of credibility of the 18+ warning sign by students and their attitudes towards consumption. This correlation was found to be positive, with a coefficient of 0.664. It is important to highlight that this correlation was statistically significant, as indicated by a p-value of less than 0.05. The study revealed a noteworthy impact of the 18+ sign on the attitudes of individuals below the legal age regarding consumption (R2=0.494; p<0.05). The attitudes of undergraduates towards the 18+ warning sign were found to be significantly influenced by demographic variables, as indicated by the statistical analysis (R2=0.017; p<0.05). The findings of the study indicate that the presence of an 18+ warning sign in alcoholic beverage advertisements has a deterrent effect on the consumption of alcoholic beverages among undergraduate individuals. The study suggests that advertisers, who sponsor promotional messages promoting alcohol consumption, should increase their utilisation of the 18+ warning sign and other similar indicators to demonstrate social responsibility. Furthermore, it is imperative to enhance the vigilance of advertising-relevant agencies in accordance with established regulations. This will enable them to intensify their monitoring of advertisement content, thereby ensuring strict adherence to prescribed standards.