Know when to declare…indeed

I often get accused of cynicism…I’m not a ‘glass half empty’ or a ‘glass full guy’, I’m more of a ‘the glass is too big’ sort of guy. So, I will lead with praise this post…

Congratulations to Fosters, Diageo, Channel Nine and Cricket Australia for announcing today they are partnering on a responsible drinking campaign titled, "Know when to declare". You can read all about it here and here. Without having seen any of the campaign, if Fosters applies any of the consumer insight and creativity that they use to get people drinking their product then this is the sort of positive campaign that can make a real contribution to changing the drinking culture that has come under fire of late.

Having said that though, a couple of things sprang to mind when I read it about it…

It is suddenly clear why "a senior Foster’s executive" apologised a few weeks ago – seemingly apropos of nothing – for using David Boon and the "Boonie Doll" in a campaign a few years ago because Foster’s "had not anticipated binge drinking would become such an urgent social issue." It was less of an apology and more of a clearing of the decks so that they nullified the issue so that nothing would take the rosy glow off the campaign methinks…

Also, while I concede that there is definitely a hiding-to-nothing element to this, there is just something that jars about a company like Diageo running a campaign such as this. They are proud to be a company with a "strong and continuous innovation pipeline driven by consumer demand and market opportunities", (which I think in English means, "we will continue to develop cheap alcohol that tastes just like soft drink at the same strength as beer and argue that even though it is designed to be appeal to a generation that wants to drink but doesn’t actually like the flavour of alcohol and so has no nasty alcohol flavours to act as a brake or a speed bump to excessive consumption, it should be taxed at the same rate as drinks that do have a flavour brake and aren’t as binge-worthy." (draw breath)

I am trying to think of an appropriate simile to describe this. The best that I can come up with (and I know that it is a little extreme, but it makes the point) but there is an element of Jack the Ripper campaigning for better street lighting while plying his trade in the alleys to the campaign.

In all of the Schoolies photos that have been taken this past week, has anyone seen one with Schoolies carrying cartons of Murray’s 2IPA or Redoak Wee Heavy Ale into their units or even a bottle of an Islay malt?

But maybe I’m just being cynical.