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PRESS RELEASE: 27.09.2007 The ‘Drunk, you’re a fool’ campaign latches on to a new theme Let’s talk about famous drunken foolsOn Wednesday, the ‘Drunk, you’re a fool’ alcohol awareness campaign launched discussion on celebrity culture and drinking habits. TV commercials, an updated website and celebrities’ comments are now challenging people to think about how the media’s conspicuous reports on celebrities’ foolish drunken exploits influence drinking culture – and where the responsibility for such role models lies. Many young people dream of one day becoming famous; but at the same time, the headlines are full of celebrities’ foolish drunken exploits. A group of famous faces gathered at Lux nightclub on Wednesday to discuss how alcohol and celebrity culture go together. These well-known people considered whether young people’s dream profession really is to be a messed-up celebrity – and where the responsibility for this role model lies. Jone Nikula, Aira Samulin, Wallu Valpio, Heikki Paasonen, Kirsi Salo, Mikko Peltola, Viivi Avellan and youth researcher Mikko Salasuo all participated in the debate, which was hosted by Ruben Stiller. “I want to be part of this campaign because I’ve often been guilty of acting like a complete idiot when drunk, and I now want young people to show me a good example,” says Ruben Stiller, who took a personal stand on the topic. “The media does encourage a culture of idiocy, but I can’t believe that young people purposefully set out to ape stupid behaviour. On the other hand, it is every celebrity’s responsibility to think about how they behave. If you want to puke, puke at home. Maybe some celebrities just don’t get as stressed out about it as I do,” says panel member Heikki Paasonen. Mikko ‘Peltsi’ Peltola sends his regards to journalists and bartenders. “The media can sell its newspapers just as well with some other topic than boozing. Bartenders could also look more kindly on those who order water – now you often get scornful looks. And if every other glass you have is filled with water, you can prevent yourself from ending up a drunken fool.” The celebrity theme is also visible in the campaign’s TV commercials, which were first aired on VoiceTV on Wednesday. The campaign website has already attracted 320,000 visitors to date. The site’s discussion forum challenges everyone to take a stance on Finland’s celebrity culture and its culture of drunkenness. “We want the ‘Drunk, you’re a fool’ campaign to spark off debate on Finland’s alcohol culture – one in which drinking for the sole purpose of getting drunk is still thought of as socially acceptable. Celebrities play a vital role with the examples they set,” says Timo Jaatinen, Managing Director of the Federation of the Brewing and Soft Drinks Industry. Additional information: Timo Jaatinen, Managing
Director, Federation of the Brewing and Soft Drinks Industry The ‘Drunk, you’re a fool’ campaign seeks to spark off debate on Finland’s drinking culture, which is still centred on getting drunk. The campaign is targeted primarily at 18-30-year-olds and is a pilot for a whole new style of alcohol education. It now revolves around the theme of social acceptance, a hot topic for youth. www.kannissaoletaalio.fi | |
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