ALAC - Summer Campaign

WHAT IS THE ISSUE?

Parents, caregivers or other adults are the main suppliers of alcohol to the 14-17 year old age group according to ALAC’s 2007 report.

WHAT WAS THE MARKETING CHALLENGE?

To keep teenagers safe from harm caused by excessive alcohol during the summer 09/10 period in the Western Bay of Plenty
To educate parents about the risks of supplying underagers and to stress the importance of accepting responsibility when doing so
To provide a source of information, support, contacts and advice specifically for parents

THE CONSUMER INSIGHT

By providing their children or children’s friends with alcohol, parents believe they are ‘doing the right thing’ monitoring consumption and therefore, acting responsibly.

“My parents would rather I drink at home so they can see how much I am having…”

The problem with this perception, as we learnt through the focus groups, is that the teenagers are having what their parents provide them with, and MORE once they leave their supervision.

“My parents buy me what they believe is fair, but I always drink more at parties. I know my limits though…”

THE CREATIVE SOLUTION

‘A summer to remember not a summer to forget’ was developed to remind parents of their behaviour and to attribute accountability of their actions. Bar mats, posters, back of buses, DLE brochures, radio and promotional products were used for the campaign.

The intention was for parents to feel an element of guilt, shame, fear and ultimately responsibility. The Bay of Plenty Off License Alcohol Accord came on board and we used the point of sale as a way of getting the message directly to these parents.

It is a hard-hitting, multi-faceted campaign aimed at the crux of the problem – the purchase of alcohol for underagers.

THE RESULTS

More than 80 off license alcohol providers in the Western Bay of Plenty as well as Pak’n’Save, Mount New World and three Countdown stores volunteered to champion the campaign after being presented with the creative.

DLE brochures were printed and distributed to off license outlets and were handed out at the checkout with every alcohol purchase at the supermarkets.

Following the conclusion of the creative, we were invited to present ‘A summer to remember, not a summer to forget’ at the 2009 ALAC hui in Wellington.

CLIENT COMMENT

"This is a multi-faceted social marketing campaign targeting adults supplying alcohol to under 18s, and young people themselves, through the engagement of liquor retailers and supermarkets (counter mats and flyers); high visibility back-of-bus and radio adverts; and coloured zinc giveaways. The message is to be responsible, engage with your teens, and have an action plan. The campaign has been hugely successful with supermarkets volunteering to champion the project and liquor retailers asking for more and more material due".

Michael Mills,
Tauranga Safe City Coordinator