This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Campaign targets binge drinkers
19/04/2002
A £1.5m communications campaign, which aims to challenge
young people's attitudes towards binge drinking, was
launched today.
The
How much is too much? campaign, which forms a key
part of the Executive's Plan for Action on Alcohol
Problems, will begin with two well-researched television
adverts to be screened nationally from Monday. Both are
aimed at 18-35 years - the key age group associated with
binge drinking - but they will also help strengthen the
general public's perception that binge drinking is socially
unacceptable.
The first advert, targeted at women, will highlight the
contradictions between drunk and sober behaviour and show
how losing control - through excessive drinking - can lead
to a loss of self respect, as well as having an impact on
others. The advert for young men will again show the
contrast between drunk and sober behaviour but will also
hint at the public disorder and personal injury problems
associated with binge drinking.
Each advert will be
screened until 19 May, with further screenings scheduled to
coincide with the World Cup period and the festive season,
when alcohol consumption traditionally increases. They will
also be supported by national cinema and radio adverts,
followed by bill board posters and ambient advertising
later in the year.
Speaking at the launch of the campaign at Queen Margaret
University College Students' Union, Deputy Health Minister,
Mary Mulligan, said:
"For most people, drinking in moderation does not cause
problems. However, as highlighted in our Plan for Action on
Alcohol Problems, there are increasing concerns about
trends in excessive, harmful drinking. Trends which have
short and long term implications for the individuals
involved, those around them and society as a whole.
"For too long drinking to get drunk has been seen as
harmless fun. Young people appear to have been undeterred
by warnings about the long term dangers to their health.
And research conducted on behalf of the Scottish Executive
shows that while they recognise the problems associated
with excessive drinking - violence, public disorder and
personal injury - few young people believe that
their binge-drinking has an impact on others.
"Our campaign
How much is too much, which is based on sound
research and has been 'tested' on the target age group,
will aim to overcome that problem by making the impact of
binge-drinking more immediately relevant to young people.
The adverts, which end with the strap-line -
Is your hair the only thing you let down when you go
out drinking - will encourage them to reconsider their
drinking behaviour by highlighting how binge-drinking can
lead to a complete loss of self-respect, as well as public
humiliation, both for the individuals themselves and those
closest to them.
"They will be screened on ITV1, CH4 and Channel 5, from
Monday, and backed up by adverts on independent radio
stations and cinemas, followed by poster campaigns and
ambient adverts later in the year.
"We are however, realistic. We know that the current
trends in binge-drinking did not develop overnight and that
we cannot solve them over-night. Nor can we tackle such a
problem alone. However, taken within the context of our
comprehensive Plan for Action - which features work on a
range of fronts, from schools, workplaces, communities and
through local Alcohol Action Teams, we can work with all
the organisations which helped produce the Plan, to call
time on problem drinking throughout Scotland."
Jack Law, Chair of Alcohol Focus Scotland, said:
"Alcohol Focus Scotland supports the messages within
this campaign as part of an overall approach to address
alcohol problems in Scotland. We would also hope that older
age groups take note of the messages because binge-drinking
is a feature of our Scottish drinking culture and crosses
all age groups. It is also important that this message gets
into local communities and is transmitted through a range
of media."
Jean Coussins, Director of The Portman Group and a
member of the Scottish Advisory Committee on Alcohol
Misuse, said:
"These TV ads are great. Anything that reinforces the
message that drunkenness is unattractive is helpful. The
Scottish Executive is to be congratulated for putting its
money where its mouth is and backing up the Plan for Action
on Alcohol Problems with significant resources.
"I hope that these ads, together with our own "If you
do do drink, don't do drunk" campaign can build
awareness of the risks and downsides of drinking just to
get drunk and begin to change the culture of excessive
drinking."
Deborah Ritchie, Health Promotion lecturer at Queen
Margaret University College, which hosted today's launch,
said:
"QMUC is very pleased to endorse the exciting new
campaign on binge drinking. Young people are drinking more
often and binge drinking is an increasing feature of
today's lifestyle. At QMUC many of our students become the
health promoters of the future. We would hope that our
students, through our health promotion courses, would know
about the problems binge drinking can cause - unplanned
sex; having accidents; getting involved in fights and maybe
future health problems. They know that young people can
have a good time out with their mates without over
indulging."
The Scottish Executive's Plan for Action on Alcohol
Problems was launched in January by Mary Mulligan - who is
also the Chair of the Scottish Advisory Committee on
Alcohol Misuse.
Copies of the Plan are available via the following link
- www.scotland.gov.uk/health/alcoholproblems
In order to implement the most effective campaign,
comprehensive research was undertaken across Scotland. This
involved more than 1000 telephone interviews against a
demographic profile of the Scottish population and a number
of focus groups. It found that the key target audience for
binge drinking was 18-35 year-olds who tend to drink on one
or two times a week (to excess), rather than moderate
amounts every day. They were mainly male, but not
exclusively, and while recognising that excess drinking can
cause problems, did not accept that their drinking (binge
drinking) was harmful.
The television adverts will run as follows:
- heavyweight four week campaign from 22 April to 19 May
(75 per cent of all 16-34 year-old men will have eight
opportunities to see the advert)
- burst of activity is also proposed to coincide with
the World Cup, from 31 May to 30 June, and
- strong push around the festive season, end of November
to 5 January 2003.
They will:
- encourage a re-evaluation of the current culture
surrounding drinking and drunkenness, and therefore reduce
the harm caused by alcohol problems, and
- will focus on addressing the undesirable behaviour as
a consequence of binge drinking
Like many students' unions in Scotland, QMUC endeavours
to promote safe and sensible attitudes to drinking - an
approach which is very much in line with our Plan for
Action on Alcohol Problems. And through its health
promotion courses, is also playing a leading role in
helping to create the health promoters of the future, who
will help spread the message that you can enjoy alcohol
without drinking to excess.