Alcohol Product Placements and the Third-Person Effect

The third-person effect framework assumes that people attribute different effects to mediated messages on themselves as opposed to others. It assumes further that they perceive that persuasive media messages have greater effects on others than on themselves. This study investigated perceptions of the possible effects of alcohol product placement in youth-oriented films on different target groups, thereby extending current third-person effects research to an area of advertising other than the traditional forms. Specifically, this study examined (1) whether and to what degree the third-person effect functions in the special case of alcohol product placement in youth-oriented movies; (2) the influence of selected demographic, perceptual, and attitudinal variables on consumer perceptions of third-person alcohol product placement effects; and (3) the relationship between perceived third-person effects and support for alcohol product placement regulation in youth movies. The authors found a significant disparity between the perceived effect of alcohol product placement in youth movies on oneself and others and offer empirical support for the theoretical link between third-person perception and a procensorship attitude.