More than four million Australians feel alcohol has harmed them or their families, the Roy Morgan Research report shows. The figures suggest half of Australians want a reduction in alcohol ads, with another 21 per cent wanting a complete ban.

The Salvation Army wants a federal awareness campaign and tighter regulation of the alcohol industry's advertising. The director of the Salvation Army's Drug and Alcohol Recovery Service in Canberra, Bob O'Heir, said current advertising normalised dangerous patterns of consumption.

''People simply see a good sporting game, see slabs of beer being brought here for a socially entertaining day. But they don't see the night after that when dad comes home and hits the wife or abuses the children,'' he said.

The report found 11 per cent of Australians had experienced actual or threatened physical violence because of a relative's alcohol consumption, while one-fifth were subject to arguments.

Mark Baseden and Michael Fogden know the dark side of drinking. Both are being treated for alcohol dependency in Mr O'Heir's program.

Mr Fogden said ads showed drinking as sociable. ''Once you start developing a problem with drinking people stop inviting you to parties.''

Salvation Army ACT division spokesman Major Graeme Craig wants reforms to bring alcohol advertising in line with the tobacco industry.

But Distilled Spirits Industry Council of Australia information and research manager Stephen Riden said restrictions were unnecessary because the industry was tightly regulated and four parliamentary inquiries into alcohol advertising never said the industry was on the wrong track with advertising. ''I don't see the link between responsible advertising and the binge drinking we're all so concerned about.''

But Mr Baseden, whose alcoholism strained his relationship with his three children, said a link did exist. ''The advertising tends to glorify [drinking] ... you get drunk; you get all these friends. It doesn't tell the opposite where you lose all your friends ...''