Risky Alcohol Consumption by Young, Female Australians: The Influence of Significant Others

This research used consumer behavior and social marketing principles to examine alcohol consumption among young female university students in Australia. Due to the high prevalence of risky alcohol consumption among this cohort, this study sought to examine the factors that influence the behavior of these individuals (Dowdall and Wechsler 2002; Shim and Maggs 2005). To date, this area of research has remained relatively unexplored. This article reports on the behavior of consumers in this cohort with a particular focus on reference group influence, in an attempt to make a contribution to future social marketing campaigns aimed at changing high risk behavior in the context of alcohol. The article also provides some insights into the possible components of a successful social marketing intervention program.