The Federation of the Brewing and Soft Drinks Industry and its partners are launching a pilot campaign that seeks to spark off debate over the quest for drunkenness that still dominates Finnish drinking culture. The ‘Drunk, you’re a fool’ campaign is primarily aimed at 18-30-year-olds. It is an example of a new kind of alcohol education for young people and focuses on the social acceptance of drunkenness.

A drinking culture that revolves around getting drunk is problematic for both individuals and society, and also poses a challenge for responsible companies. The ‘Drunk, you’re a fool’ campaign, which will be launched at the end of August, aims to provoke debate on the social effects of drunkenness in particular.

“The majority of people drink sensibly, but alcohol is a problem for some. Now is the time to change Finnish attitudes. Alcohol should be used responsibly and in moderation. Young people should not believe that drinking for the sole intent of getting drunk is a Finnish cultural tradition they should adopt,” says Timo Jaatinen, Managing Director of the Federation of the Brewing and Soft Drinks Industry.

The campaign website is at www.kannissaoletaalio.fi. It contains a collection of facts about the social problems and health hazards of drunkenness in a format that’s appealing to young people. Parents can also find tools on the site to help them discuss the campaign’s issues with their children. The ‘Drunk, you’re a fool’ theme will be visible in other media too: print, outdoor advertising and television, for example.

The characters and situations featured in the campaign are fictional, but could unfortunately be real. Many youth idols are seen giving bad examples in public: vomiting and behaving obnoxiously when drunk.

“We want this campaign to influence young people’s attitudes and spark off public debate about whether this type of behaviour really is socially acceptable. The campaign will definitely provoke all kinds of discussion, which is the intention,” says Jaatinen.

Until now, regulating drunkenness in Finland has not focused on questioning its social acceptance, but on other methods, such as prohibitions and health education. Instead of employing these traditional methods, the ‘Drunk, you’re a fool’ campaign seeks to influence attitudes and behaviour through social debate.

Additional information:

Timo Jaatinen, Managing Director, Federation of the Brewing and Soft Drinks Industry

Tel. +358 9 148 871 and +358 40 837 6794, timo.jaatinen@panimoliitto.fi