Exploring the nature, creation, impact and regulation of gendered alcohol brand and nightlife marketing in the age of contemporary feminism

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This research will improve our understanding of how the gendered marketing of alcohol and the night time environment (NTE) affects women's consumption of alcohol, and their experiences of the NTE, with the aim of engaging with key stakeholders (e.g. young people, industry) to make venues healthier, safer and more inclusive. Although alcohol use and related harms are more prevalent among men than women, this gender gap has narrowed in recent years. Women are active participants in the NTE, and like men, drink for pleasure and intoxication, and to foster group belonging, bonding and friendship. This convergence in men and women's drinking patterns can be partly explained by the shifting social positions of women, including their increased economic independence. The increased affordability of alcohol, changes to the NTE to make it more female friendly and the way in which women have been targeted by alcohol marketing are other important, yet under researched factors. Alcohol marketing targets men and women in different ways, but both aim to increase sales and forge brand loyalty. However, women drinkers face contradictory marketing messages. They are targeted through messages of empowerment (e.g. sexual expression, independence), but also gender stereotypes (e.g. 'pink marketing'), and are subject to objectification and sexualisation to promote alcohol products to men. NTE (e.g. bars and clubs) marketing also reinforces gender stereotypes and the sexualisation and objectification of women. This includes the increasing use of social media marketing, and sexualised photographs of female customers and 'influencers' (e.g. online promotors). Such marketing may not only influence women's drinking practices and experiences, but sexist content may reinforce negative attitudes towards women, gender stereotypes, and relations between men and women. This may create an environment in which sexist behaviour (e.g. unwanted sexual attention) is tolerated, which can undermine campaigns aimed at addressing sexual violence in the NTE, and advances in women's rights and equality more generally. The way in which alcohol products are promoted through gender-specific messages appears to be changing, and there is industry concern that sexist marketing may alienate female customers. Instead, feminist messages (e.g. choice, empowerment, addressing the gender pay gap), gender non-conformity (e.g. trans rights, gender transgression) and sexual (e.g. Love is Love) and racial (e.g. ethnic diversity) equality are now being increasingly used by brands. Similarly, although women continue to be sexualised in NTE marketing, messages of gender equality are also being used to advertise the NTE. Such changes in alcohol marketing are important, in that the move away from sexist messages is a positive in terms of gender equity, but the use of feminist messages may appeal to female drinkers and influence their drinking, and in turn their health. Academics and alcohol charities have called for more research in this area, and have highlighted the importance of education to inform women how marketing aims to manipulate their consumer choices through gender stereotypes and messages of empowerment, alongside updated regulation. We need research with young women and men, and those working in marketing and it's regulation, that explores how women are targeted by, and represented in alcohol brand and NTE marketing, and its influence on drinking experiences and gender equity. The proposed research benefits from the direct involvement of young people and industry, and will inform the development of educational activities designed to inform women's critical thinking on the strategies that are used to encourage their alcohol use; prevention activities designed to reduce sexual violence in nightlife; and help in the assessment of compliance with regulatory codes aimed at restricting alcohol marketing that condones gender inequality.