NOVEMBER 2006

€1.75 million MEAS campaign to promote responsible drinking

MEAS, the alcohol social responsibility organisation, has launched a major campaign to promote responsible drinking. The initial phase of the campaign involves a €1.75 million advertising budget and a new interactive and content rich website that enables people to assess whether the amount of alcohol they drink is at moderate or hazardous levels. The campaign will be developed and expanded in 2007 and beyond.

Called drinkaware.ie the campaign has the backing of all the major drinks companies, and in addition to the website of the same name, it will include extensive radio and TV advertising, and a major outdoor poster campaign. The campaign slogan will be "Know The One That's One Too Many". The MEAS Chief Executive, Ms. Fionnuala Sheehan, said she is confident that the drinkaware.ie website will be seen by every fair-minded person as a valuable resource, and I hope that it will become an authoritative reference point on responsible drinking for all interested parties in the country.

The website explains what is a 'standard drink' (approx. a glass of beer or a glass of wine, or a measure of spirits) and provides a calculator that allows people to assess how many standard drinks are contained in their favourite tipple. The website also incorporates an interactive diary which allows people to maintain their own drinks diary using the website. The diary includes all the main alcohol brands that people drink in Ireland, and the number of standard drinks per alcohol container, so that each person can calculate exactly how many standard drinks their current drinking level constitutes.

According to the website, the Department of Health and Children deems 14 standard drinks a week for women, and 21 standard drinks for men, spread over the week, to constitute "low risk" consumption, and it goes on to point out that according to the world Health Organisation, weekly consumption levels above 28 standard drinks for women, and 40 standard drinks for men, are "hazardous".

Ms. Sheehan said: "The key focus of the drinkaware.ie initiative is to promote responsible use of alcohol while, at the same time, challenging antisocial drinking behaviour." Ms. Sheehan added: "The drinkaware.ie website provides very detailed information to people about alcohol: how it affects men, women and teenagers; when not to drink, and how alcohol affects the brain. We also want to encourage people to think in terms of standard drinks consumption, and to measure their own drinking accordingly to see if the amount they are drinking is moderate or excessive.

The MEAS CEO also points out that a lot of consideration has gone into determining the style and tone of the content of drinkaware.ie. "It is not judgmental or preachy, but seeks to be informative, factual and helpful. A greater public understanding of the need for sensible, responsible use of alcohol is required, and why excessive drinking is damaging to the individual, their family and society, drinkaware.ie can play a vital role in achieving this."

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