Expert appears on the ‘Big Drink Rethink’ podcast
Glasgow Caledonian University Professor Carol Emslie appeared on the 'Big Drink Rethink' podcast, which explores how and why alcohol culture is changing in the UK, ahead of International Women's Day on March 8.
The podcast called 'The Gendered World of Alcohol Marketing' can be found here - https://player.captivate.fm/episode/105f4f81-2648-419c-bcd4-4efaad2d9575/. It attracts more than 5,000 listeners to the insightful episodes, which feature celebrities such as Adrian Chiles, health experts, academics and influencers.
Podcast host Anna Donaghey invited Professor Emslie to appear on the show after seeing her interview on Panorama last November - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0025fyj
In the podcast, Anna describes struggles with her own drinking and how she now works as a life coach to help others reflect on their relationship with alcohol.
The audience for the podcast is very broad, including those who are sober curious, those currently re-evaluating their relationship with alcohol, and as those experiencing problems with alcohol.
Professor Emslie said: "It was fascinating talking to Anna on her 'Big Drink Rethink' podcast. We discussed how alcohol is increasingly sold to women using pink and sparkly packaging, sophisticated images of female friends having fun, and aligning brands with empowered, strong women.
"We also talked about 'piggyback marketing' where every occasion can be used to sell alcohol, including Valentine's day, Mothers' Day and International Women's Day. Anna worked in the advertising industry for more than 25 years, so she had many useful insights into how alcohol marketing focuses on harnessing emotions to their products, and how certain groups are targeted."
Professor Emslie also shared her expert knowledge about women and alcohol marketing on a global webinar to mark International Women's Day, which can be watched here – https://movendi.ngo/event/report-launch-webinar-the-changing-landscape-of-women-and-alcohol-harm/
Professor Emslie, based in the University's Department of Nursing and Community Health, is co-director for the School of Health and Life Sciences' Research Centre for Health (ReaCH) and co-leads the Substance Use Research Group. She is also Co-Chair of the Scottish Alcohol Research Network.
As a medical sociologist, her applied research looks at the social context of drinking and explores ways to reduce alcohol-related harm. She has been interviewed by BBC Panorama, BBC Radio 4 Women's Hour, BBC Alba's Eorpa, the Guardian and the New York Times, and has presented her research at the Scottish Parliament.
She has an international reputation for research on gender and alcohol, and launched the #dontpinkmydrink social media campaign to highlight alcohol marketing to women. Recent work includes a WHO-commissioned report on gender and alcohol, studies of drinking and alcohol marketing in LGBTQ+ communities, the 'sober curiosity' among sexual minority women and exploring the impact of alcohol minimum unit pricing on people with experience of homelessness.