The long-term goal of the alcohol education campaign is to prevent, where possible and reduce the harm that occurs as a result of people drinking alcohol at risky levels. This advertisement aims to:
• Demonstrate the notion that innocent people can be affected by people who are drunk.
• Provide a call to action to the wider community to not tolerate drunken behaviour.
• Increase the community’s preparedness to take action against drunken behaviour.
• Increase support for measures to prevent people from getting drunk.
The advertisement is one component of a broader strategy which seeks to highlight the negative consequences of drunkenness and change community attitudes and the drinking culture.
CONCEPT TESTING
Evaluation of previous campaigns shows that messages did not have a strong resonance among the target group in decreasing tolerance towards drunken behaviour. In order to achieve significant cut through with the target group, a powerful, attention-grabbing message was required in order to stimulate public debate.
Prior to scheduling, the advertisement was tested among members of the WA community in the target group by an independent market research agency to determine plausibility and salience among the target group. Results from the ad-test with consumers showed that:
• 91% of respondents stated that this advertisement suggested that people should do something about drunkenness.
• 56% of respondents stated that this advertisement was very effective in increasing awareness of the many negative impacts of drunkenness.
• 47% of respondents said that this advertisement significantly increased their awareness of the negative impact of drunkenness in the community.
Respondents felt that the advertisement was successful in:
• Delivering a powerful message
• Increasing disapproval of drunkenness
• Suggesting that people should do something about drunkenness
• Suggesting that drunk people can cause damage to other people.
EVALUATION
At the conclusion of the campaign, an evaluation was conducted by an independent market research agency among members of the WA community.
The results showed that:
• 75% of respondents had seen the advertisement during the campaign period and of these people, 76% correctly identified that the injury to the pregnant lady (and child) was due to the actions of the drunk person.
• 82% of respondents felt that this advertisement increased awareness of the serious consequences of drunkenness.
• When asked, ‘are you in favour or against this type of public education about the harms of drunkenness?’ 87% of respondents were in favour, with 65% of these strongly in favour.
• 84% of respondents found that the message in the advertisement was believable, with 49% of these people stating that they found it to be very believable.
• 87% of respondents agreed with the messages in the ad, with 68% of these people stating that they agreed ‘a lot’.
KEY MESSAGE TAKE OUT
Key messages taken out by members of the target group were:
• Drunk people injure other people
• Other people suffer as a result of drunkenness
• Drunkenness has a bad effect on the community
• Alcohol causes unintentional accidents
• Alcohol causes harm and damage
• People should think about the consequences and effect of drinking on others.