Gordon Clay here. While the results of this year's Super Bowl are old news, the impact some of the commercials had on our local youth is not.
According to more than 40,000 middle and high school students nationwide who participated in the Drug-Free Alliance Super Bowl survey the day after the Super Bowl, alcohol ads were widely remembered. Nationally, Doritos stole the show by taking the top three spots followed by two Bud Light commercials.
That wasn't the case in Brookings, however. Doritos did take the top spot, while Bud Light took the next two.
Our concern is the influence of alcohol advertings on young minds. Research shows that the more youth are exposed to alcohol advertising, the more likely they are to drink, drink more often, and drink to excess.
Each day 8,000 kids between 12 and 17 take their first drink of alcohol. Those who begin drinking before age 15 are five times more likely to develop alcohol problems later in life. Alcohol is associated with a variety of risky behaviors including teen violence, car craches and sexual assaults and can cause permanent damage to the still developing adolescent brain.
Research also reveals that kids whose parents talk to them often about the dangers of alcohol and other drugs are 50% less likely to use.
The next time your children are watching TV, make it a teachable moment. Use the commercials as an opportunity to teach your children to read between the lines of advertisements, building their media literacy skills. It's an easy way to bring up the topic of underage drinking and to encourage your children to make healthy choices and avoid risky behaviors.