'Just a colour?': Exploring women's relationship with pink alcohol brand marketing within their feminine identity making.

BACKGROUND: The pinking of alcohol products and marketing (i.e. the (over) use of the colour pink as a feminine aesthetic) is a form of gendered marketing that is used by the industry to target and appeal to the female market, and encourage sales and alcohol consumption. However, little is known about how women relate to and view such marketing, and how such products feature in their performance of femininities through drinking practice. METHODS: Semi-structured individual (N = 39) and group (N = 79) interviews with 117 women who drank alcohol and participated in the night time economy in the city of Liverpool in North West of England were conducted to gain insight into their attitudes towards the use of pink in alcohol product design and marketing content, and how this relates to their feminine identity making in intersectional ways. Interviews with individuals (N = 23) working in alcohol brand marketing locally, nationally and globally were also conducted to explore the use of pink marketing. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. FINDINGS: The pinking of products and marketing was considered the most obvious form of female targeted marketing by both women and marketers. Discussion of pink drinks generated in depth discussions of the femininities and connotations attached to the colour. Reflecting a conventional and normative femininity, women conformed to, and/or rejected pink products and marketing, within their feminine identity making. Four themes are presented that draw attention to the similarities and differences between marketers and women's perspectives on pink marketing, and how women's relationship with pink marketing and products were nuanced, varied in relation to their feminist identities, and intersected with other social positions such as sexuality and class. CONCLUSION: The article makes an original and significant contribution to the field on gendered drinking practices and identity making and the influence of alcohol marketing on these processes, and is novel in addressing the usual omission of industry voice in discussions of marketing. It concludes that in the current context of contemporary feminism, in which (young) women are endorsing feminist identities, women's relationship with feminism influences their attitudes to marketing such as pinking, and their likelihood of consuming such products.

Qualitative analysis of UK women's attitudes to calorie-based alcohol marketing and alcohol calorie labelling.

Mandatory standardized nutritional information on alcoholic drinks such as energy, or calorie labelling, is a population-level public health measure aimed at addressing obesity and alcohol consumption. In the UK, such measures are not a statutory requirement, but some alcohol brands do include references to calories on their products and in their marketing materials, as a marketing strategy to encourage sales and consumption. This article presents findings of semi-structured individual (N = 43) and group (N = 9) interviews with 78 women living in the UK that aimed to gain insight into their attitudes towards calorie-based alcohol brand marketing, and alcohol calorie labelling (ACL) as a health policy. Three themes are presented that outline how women rejected calorie marketing and labelling; the potential positive and unintended impact on alcohol consumption and dietary/eating practices; and how views on calorie labelling were intertwined with women's attitudes towards marketing that draws on calorie messaging. A feminist anti-diet discourse, as well as a discourse of pleasure through alcohol consumption, was at play in women's accounts, which may limit the intended aims of ACLs. It is concluded that ACLs should be considered within the wider commercial context of alcohol marketing that draws on calories to promote sales and consumption, consideration of the gendered factors that may lead some to reject ACLs as a health policy, and the potential for unintended consequences.

'We're in this together': A content analysis of marketing by alcohol brands on Facebook and Instagram during the first UK Lockdown, 2020.

BACKGROUND: The closure of on-licence premises and the restrictions placed on citizen's movements and leisure to address the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, created an unprecedented situation for the alcohol industry. With the availability and supply of alcohol being restricted, and the social context of alcohol use transformed, alcohol corporations were required to adapt their marketing materials and actions in response. METHODS: A content analysis of alcohol marketing by 18 alcohol brands on Facebook and Instagram during the first UK national lockdown (from 17th March- 4th July 2020) was conducted. Comments left by social media followers on posts advertising what could be defined as brand COVID-19 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives (i.e. monetary donations, production of hand sanitiser) were thematically analysed. FINDINGS: Alcohol brands quickly adapted to the changing social, economic and health context of the global pandemic. Changes to the availability and sale of alcohol were evident, with brands encouraging the stockpiling of alcohol as an essential item through predominantly online sales and delivery services. Brands also adapted to the changing social and physical context of alcohol use and intensified encouragement of home drinking. Messages of togetherness underpinned the promotion of virtual interactions, for which alcohol use was presented as a key component. Consumers were encouraged to contribute to pandemic responses by 'staying at home', and consuming alcohol. Importantly, COVID-19 provided a useful marketing opportunity for alcohol producers to present themselves as private partners to a primarily public sector response, through innovative CSR initiatives such as philanthropic donations to help prevent the transmission of COVID-19. An inductive thematic analysis of online comments on CSR posts found that such activities were interpreted by consumers as ethical actions, and that they reinforced positive brand image and loyalty amongst existing and new consumers. CONCLUSION: Alcohol corporations are highly resilient in times of crises and the brands analysed were able to quickly adapt their marketing to the COVID-19 pandemic. Future research is required to examine whether these profitable strategies are maintained post pandemic.

Overcoming barriers to adolescent vaccination: perspectives from vaccine providers in North Carolina.

To capture strategies for achieving high adolescent coverage of tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis (Tdap), meningococcal conjugate (MenACWY), and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, we surveyed employees of 20 North Carolina (N.C.) clinics that achieved adolescent vaccination coverage higher than the state average. One employee per clinic completed a surveysummarizing clinic practices regarding adolescent vaccination; perceived barriers and facilitators to Tdap/MenACWY/HPV vaccination; and the role of "champions" who made special efforts to promote adolescent vaccination. Common perceived barriers for all vaccinations were parental opposition and logistical barriers to receiving vaccination. For HPV vaccination, employees cited parental concerns about sexual behavior and injection site pain; no school vaccination requirement; and low-perceived benefit in boys. Most clinics (80%) implemented successful changes to increase adolescent vaccination: consistently offering vaccination, tracking vaccination status using existing data, providing appointment reminders, updating providers on vaccination recommendations, and expanding vaccination hours. Strategies to improve HPV vaccination included co-administration with Tdap and MenACWY, and providing reminders to complete the vaccination series. Vaccine champions strongly recommended vaccination to parents (55%) and educated parents on vaccination recommendations (36%). Clinics in N.C.and similar settings can implement these and other low-resource strategies to overcome adolescent vaccination barriers. ABBREVIATIONS: CDC=Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; EHR=Electronic health record; HPV=Human papillomavirus; Tdap=Tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis vaccine; MenACWY=Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine; NCIB=North Carolina Immunization Branch; NCIR=North Carolina Immunization Registry; ACIP=Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

Prevalence of elevated body mass index and blood pressure in a rural school-aged population: implications for school nurses.

The growing prevalence of overweight in students and adolescents has become a matter of national concern and is linked to a rise in chronic health conditions in students who previously had low prevalence rates, such as cardiovascular disease. This study examined the relationships between age, ethnicity, race, body mass index (BMI), and elevated blood pressure (BP) in a rural school age population. Data are reported for 1121 students in grades K-11. The sample was 55% African American, 41% Caucasian, 3% Hispanic, and 1% other. The prevalence of students at risk of being overweight (BMI > or =85th percentile) was 46.5%, and the prevalence of overweight students (BMI > or =95th percentile) was 29.1%. The prevalence of elevated BP was 21.6%. Elevated BMI and BP were more prevalent in older students. While there was a direct relationship between elevated BMI and elevated BP for all groups, African Americans were more likely to have an elevated BP with a normal BMI. These findings demonstrate the important role of the school nurse in providing effective prevention strategies related to screening, follow-up, and treatment.