The effects of bar-sponsored alcohol beverage promotions across binge and nonbinge drinkers

Alcohol-related problems have proliferated on college campuses in recent ye ars and stave resulted in many negative consequences, including death. The authors examine the effects of advertised drink specials at bars (reduced p rices on beer and wine, all you can drink for a fixed price) in two between -subjects experiments. The findings indicate that these advertised promotio ns positively affect attitudes and intentions of patronizing the bar and in fluence students' expectations of amounts consumed for themselves and other consumers. The authors examine the effects of the promotions for consumers who are categorized as binge rend nonbinge drinkers and find that binge dr inkers differ from nonbingers in their attitudes and intentions related to such promotions in several important ways. For example, when a social respo nsibility, message about not drinking and driving is included in the advert isement, bar patronage intentions are lower for nonbinge drinkers, but ther e is no effect of the message for binge drinkers. The authors address impli cations for consumer welfare and policy.