Alcohol marketing on social media sites in Finland and Sweden
A comparative audit study of brands’ presence and content, and the impact of a legislative change
Kauppila Emmi, Lindeman Mikaela, Svensson Johan, Hellman Matilda and Katainen Anu
Social media has become a key marketing platform for alcohol brands. Social media makes it possible for advertisers to spread messages via consumers and to involve them in the production of marketing content. It offers new possibilities for interactive communication between alcoholic beverage companies and their potential consumers. This report presents the first audit of alcoholic beverage brands’ activities on social media targeting consumers in Finland and Sweden. Its purpose is to produce new information on how this issue can be viewed as a marketing effort, what kind of content is used, and how well alcohol producers have succeeded in reaching consumers on their social media channels. The report also assesses how the 2015 amendment to the Finnish Alcohol Act has affected alcohol marketing on social media. Publications of the Faculty of Social Sciences 113
