PSAs Drive Bingers to Drink More: Study

The shaming quality of public-service announcements aimed at curbing binge drinking actually pushes such drinkers to imbibe more. And, a study finds, the spots are often so guilt-inducing that they can push someone feeling bad about some other malfeasance—cheating, say—to drink. One of the researchers suggests a different approach: “It’s important that the messages be toned down and as positive as possible,” Nidhi Agrawal tells Advertising Age.
(More binge drinking stories.)