The drink industry’s self policing organisation Drinkaware announces the biggest campaign to date. Running over the summer featuring Lauren Laverne and Jimmy Anderson, rather than bludgeoning you over the head with a ‘just say no’ it offers a smarter argument. Why miss the best part of the gig/festival/match/test series with a long trip to the loo (think queues and frequency), antisocial factors, Â just drink sensibly and everything will be ok.
Whether it will work we’ll know in October or August whenever the fair weather comes to an end. Though I suggest that a rain lashed field is a greater inhibitor to any ale quaffing than 16-35s taking a drink in moderation message seriously.
But then what are Drinkaware to do? It’s a good idea, a good campaign. They’ve got recognisable, credible faces to front it. They’re targeting activities that the audience can identify and it’s a good argument. The clip (above) is a bit weak in direction, content and impact – and frankly Lauren I don’t ever want to see that ‘flying face’ again. I suspect though that the responding reply will be, ‘yes I see your point, yes going to the loo in a fetid pit every 40 minutes can be a hassle but I’d still rather my beer/pims/real ale/verve. It’s heart is in the right place.
Drinkaware have to do something. Like The Portman Group they’re a tacit partnership between the drinks industry, charity and government. On one hand you have the government threatening to regulate the industry with an iron fist. Then there’s the benefit of all those lovely taxes that the same government gets so maybe that fist isn’t so iron after all. The vested charities have the viewpoint of social and personal damage that alcohol abuse causes but I get the feeling they’re never as powerful as the industry lobby.
So will slower swallowing make a summer or are we missing the point. Don’t we need really really to change our whole national relationship with alcohol? You heard it here last.
