Heineken are seeking to tackle Ireland's drinking problem with a new marketing campaign that encourages responsible drinking.
At the Checkout Conference last week, Heineken Ireland managing director Maggie Timoney stated that there is a “moral obligation” for brewers, suppliers and retailers to promote responsible drinking, “so that in 15, 20 years’ time, the footprints in the sand will be that we’ll have made it uncool to be drunk in Ireland.”
She spoke about how Heineken already commits 10% of its media spend to the area of responsible drinking, and how the company invested in the moderation message over the past number of years, citing its ‘Dance More, Drink Slow’ and ‘Sunrise’ campaigns.
Timoney also said that blanket ban on alcohol would not work, and that behaviour change is the only way to change the public’s perception of drunkenness. She referred to the partnership that the Swedish government has with its drinks industry as a prime example to follow.
The company has released a new advert as part of the campaign, which shows a number of women lamenting the fact that so many men are drunk. They sing ‘I Need A Hero’ by Bonnie Tyler, and the advert ends with a man declining the offer of another drink.
The slogan “Moderate Drinkers Wanted” appears at the end, which is shortly replaced by the Heineken logo.
