Drinking in movies makes it more okay for people to drink

From Science Daily 05/20/14:

Alcohol use is often portrayed positively or even glamorized in movies. A new study looks at how alcohol portrayals in movies may affect viewers. Both positive and negative portrayals can contribute to viewers' emotional involvement in, attitude toward, and evaluation of the movie. "Product placement is more subtle than general ads, occurring when a company pays movie makers to portray its brand in a movie. Strategies to embed advertisements in a movie context with appealing actors -- and without viewers' conscious processing of the intentions of the message -- might be even more powerful than general advertising strategies since the message is not perceived as advertising," researchers noted.



Editor's note:

The research above seems to be a restatement of the old cliche, "Monkey see, monkey do." Watching people in the movies drink and smoke makes it appear more socially acceptable or even desirable if the drinking and/or smoking is done by a likable and admirable character. Most people are not aware that they are being subliminally influenced by advertisers by these product placements in films. There is a whole field, Media Literacy, devoted to helping people become more critical and aware of how they are being manipulated.