Responsible communication strategies in the beer industry: an analysis of communication practices on major brewing companies’ websites in Italy

Beer stands as one of the most prevalent alcoholic beverages globally. Recentyears have witnessed a surge in international alcohol consumption, accom-panied by the proliferation of riskier consumption patterns, necessitatingthe promotion of initiatives to prevent problematic behavior. Acknowledg-ing this context, major beer multinationals recognize the significance of so-cial marketing and employ diverse strategies within the marketing mix toencourage responsible drinking, including digital marketing.This study focuses on analyzing the communication practices employed byalcohol producers on their websites, with a specific focus on messages aimedat discouraging improper alcohol consumption. Specifically, the study aimsto analyze the evolving landscape of the beer industry’s responsible com-munication on alcohol producers’ websites through a comparative analysisof two benchmark years, 2016 and 2023, in order to highlight possiblechanges and trends.The analysis underscores the presence of eight pivotal variables guiding re-sponsible communication strategies on these websites, shedding light onthe evolving landscape of social marketing practices.A notable constant is the enduring emphasis on age verification protocols(“Skimming by age”), ensuring compliance with regulatory standards andrestricting access to alcohol-related content to appropriate age groups. Fur-thermore, subtle variations were observed in using slogans to empower re-sponsible alcohol consumption. However, the most significant evolutionwas witnessed in the substantial rise in the inclusion of “Nutritional Values”.This analysis contributes to a deeper understanding of the social marketing practices adopted by major international brewing companies in their effortsto address alcohol-related harm.