She gave a keynote address at the aware.org, the Association for Alcohol Responsibility and Education consumer campaign in Rivonia, on Thursday evening, attended by liquor industry role players and CEOs.
The deputy minister went to note that, this reinforced the collective responsibility of key role-players in alcohol harm reduction programmes in South Africa.
The fundamental message behind the campaign ‘When you drink, drink Like There is a Tomorrow’ is to enable consumers to rethink their choices when it comes to the consumption of alcohol; and it defines what drinking responsibly is and highlights the positive impact thereof.
Launched last year, aware.org only became popular in the form of publicity this week. It replaces ARA.
Asked what will be different from ARA, the CE aware.org Ingrid Louw, says a lot. From the coining of the message to innovations mechanisms that have been put into place,” she says.
“From the start, we wanted our message to be clear. We know that finger-wagging and the shock approach does not work; we’re in an age of social awareness and we know that we’ll make more of an impact if we can start having the right conversations around responsible drinking,” says Louw- former journalist.
“We believe that this new approach is a move in the right direction. We will actively drive the campaign messaging and educate consumers across various platforms, with the hope that this transcends into consumers making the right choices, and in turn, that this will begin to drive behavioural change.
When you drink, make the right choices so that your tomorrow is a better tomorrow,” adds Louw.
Social media platforms, radio and taxi TV will stretch and extend the campaign to all consumers that would supersede reach of 95 million consumers through such platforms.
Graeme Harlow, GM for Diageo says this partnership will help them better understand the intricacies consumers face, and this campaign seeks to help on responsible drinking programmes, etc.
“It’s a fact SA consumes more than anywhere in the world, as such ours is to implement proper educational programmes in helping to combat alcohol, abuse. And it begins within our company at Diageo,” says Harlow, who has been at the helm for only 6-months.
Asked if the proposed Bill to halt liquor Advertising by the minister of Health Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, Louw was non-committal but said they’re engaging with all relevant parties.
