Brands in the alcoholic drinks sector typically witness double-digit sales declines if they stop broad-reach advertising for a year, according to a study published by the Journal of Advertising Research (JAR).

The study analysed the performance of 41 brands – drawn from the beer, spirits and cider categories in Australia – that advertised “intermittently” over a period of nearly 20 years. And its dataset included 57 instances where brands stopped advertising for a year or more.

Why it matters

With budgets under pressure, whether for cost-cutting or broader strategic reasons, it can be tempting to reduce advertising to...