Tobacco and Alcohol Content in Top Vietnamese YouTube Music Videos: Content Analysis

Background: Seeing portrayals of tobacco and alcohol in music videos (MVs) may reduce perceived risks, increase susceptibility, and lead to the initiation of tobacco and alcohol use among adolescents and young adults. Previous studies have predominantly concentrated on assessing tobacco and alcohol contents in English-language MVs within Western countries. However, many other countries have not only been influenced by the English music market but have also produced music in their native languages, and this content remains underexamined. Objective: This study aims to investigate the prevalence of tobacco- and alcohol-related content in top Vietnamese MVs on YouTube from 2013 to 2021, to describe how tobacco and alcohol are portrayed in these MVs, and to examine associations between these portrayals and MV characteristics. Methods: A total of 410 Vietnamese MVs, including the top 40 or 50 most viewed released each year between 2013 and 2021, were analyzed. General information, such as the song name, its release date and ranking, age restriction, musical genre, and type of MV, was collected. We examined tobacco and alcohol content in the MVs, with specific details such as tobacco types, their brands, as well as the number, age, sex, and roles of individuals smoking or drinking. Results: Among the 410 MVs, 36 (8.8%) contained tobacco-related content and 136 (33.2%) featured alcohol-related content. Additionally, 28 (6.8%) out of 410 MVs included both tobacco and alcohol content. The prevalence of videos with tobacco and alcohol content fluctuated over the years. In MVs with tobacco-related content, a higher proportion of hip-hop or rap songs contained tobacco-related content (n=6, 30%) compared to other music genres. In MVs with tobacco-related content, cigarettes were the most frequently shown product (n=28, 77.8%), and smoking scenes were often depicted at parties (n=13, 36.1%) and during dancing and singing scenes (n=12, 33.3%). Among the 31 MVs portraying actual tobacco use, tobacco use was typically depicted with 1 person, often a young adult male, while 38.7% (n=12) showed singer(s) smoking. For MVs with alcohol-related content, there was a high proportion showing alcohol images at parties, bars, or pubs (n=96, 70.6%). Among 87 MVs containing drinking scenes, 60.9% (n=53) involved groups of young adults of both sexes, and 64% (n=56) depicted singers drinking. Additionally, only 2 (5.6%) MVs included health warnings about tobacco harm, and 2 MVs (1.5%) included warnings about drinking restricted to individuals 18 years and above. Conclusions: The notable prevalence of tobacco and alcohol content in leading Vietnamese YouTube MVs raises concerns, especially as most of this content is portrayed without any warnings. The study underscores a regulatory gap in addressing such content on the internet, emphasizing the urgent need for stricter regulations and age restrictions on platforms such as YouTube.