When researchers were given access to thousands of documents from drinks firms, much was revealed about the underlying messages portrayed in alcohol adverts.
These days, restricted by a voluntary code of conduct, the advertising of alcoholic drinks is far more an exercise in branding, imagery and life-styling than it was in the past. Gone are the days of the 1970s and 1980s when beer, wine or spirits were blatantly promoted as a one way ticket to being cool or sexy. The hard sell on booze has become a more
subtle affair, where a brand is associated with positive attitudes and emotions such as authenticity, strength and purity.