Posted: August 21 2009

A new £100 million campaign has been launched by the UK drinks industry (including major producers, retailers, supermarkets and trade associations - with the exception of Sainsburys and Marsdons Bitter) to encourage a more responsible approach to drinking among young adults there.

It’s hoped that the campaign, which begins next month, will shift attitudes towards drunkenness.

The initiative, ‘The Campaign for Smarter Drinking’, is the biggest ever to be undertaken in the UK and has been developed by over 45 companies.

It has been launched in partnership with independent charity Drinkaware and the Government and it will run for five years.

By use of outdoor advertising, signs, drink mats in pubs and bars, on-pack and Point Of Sale displays in retailers, the campaign hopes to deliver its message with the strapline “why let good times go bad?”

The campaign is designed to maximise the potential offered by the direct relationship drinks brands have with consumers. The campaign will not talk down to young adults or tell them what to do (which has been shown not to work).  Instead it will emphasise the benefits of responsible enjoyment and offer practical tips such as reminders to drink water or soft drinks, eat food and plan to get home safely.

It targets misuse (those who drink to excess on any given occasion) but in a way which is likely to resonate with consumers, by emphasising the benefits of responsible enjoyment and offering practical hints and tips rather than telling them what to do and what not to do, an approach largely rejected by young adults in particular.

By both asking questions and reminding consumers about the importance of making smart choices, this campaign aims to shift the culture around alcohol by targeting those who drink to excess without punishing the majority of responsible drinkers.

The UK’s Secretary of State for Health Andy Burnham commented,

“Clearly the industry has a responsibility to play their part in tackling this problem and I hope this campaign will make a real difference to people’s attitudes to drunkenness and their drinking behaviour.”

And Home Secretary Alan Johnson said,

“We are determined to tackle alcohol-related crime and disorder which costs the UK billions every year in police and hospital resources, not to mention the effect it has on the lives of millions of decent people.

“Alcohol-related violent crime has fallen by a third since 1997, but no-one is suggesting the job is done and educating people about the dangers of binge-drinking is a responsibility not just for the Government, but for us all. That is why I am pleased that the industry is making a commitment to do exactly that.

“This campaign will complement the wide range of actions we are already undertaking to address binge-drinking including giving police more tools and powers to tackle disruptive drinkers and consulting on new rules to ensure that businesses that sell alcohol are doing it responsibly.”

Both Ministers have confirmed they will support the Campaign for Smarter Drinking in its launch year, with further support conditional on the results of an independent audit of the campaign’s funding and effectiveness, as well as a review of future funding commitments from the industry for Drinkaware.

From September, Drinkaware will deliver the campaign to consumers, ensuring they have the facts they need to make informed choices about drinking.

Commander Simon O'Brien of the Metropolitan Police and the Association of Chief Police Officers lead on Alcohol Licensing added that the campaign also had its support.

The campaign will launch the first set of advertisements nationwide later this year in bars, pubs, supermarkets and high street retailers.

It will work in conjunction and alongside other UK Government and UK industry initiatives including the Know Your Limits campaign around the Government’s recommended daily and weekly unit consumption. It will also work in conjunction with Drinkaware, ensuring that the industry works with a partner who is already established as an independent, reliable and trustworthy source of information for consumers.