State partnerships support responsible drinking
As well as being one of our wider stakeholders, some government bodies are also customers of Diageo – namely those US states which have a monopoly on selling some or all categories of alcoholic beverages. We view these ‘control states’ the same as we view our private sector customers – as partners to work with to promote responsible drinking.
This year we worked with Oregon, Mississippi and Virginia on a variety of local responsible drinking projects.
Safe holidays in Oregon
We worked with the Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC) on a campaign to promote responsible drinking during the holidays, including public service announcements to remind Oregonians that holiday drinking and party planning can be handled in a responsible and sensible manner. ‘We want folks to have a fun, memorable holiday season. And we want them to remember it for all the right reasons,’ says Rudy Williams, OLCC Deputy Director of the Public Safety Services Program. ‘We’re proud to say this is the third year we've partnered with local industry representatives to provide important messages about drinking responsibly during the holidays.’ Watch the clip here.
Students celebrate safely in Mississippi
This year students in Mississippi benefited from the life-saving lesson we’ve been bringing through the Century Council to high schools in the US around prom and graduation seasons. For the last 14 years we have worked with Brandon Silveria and his father Tony, who go to schools to speak to students about the importance of ‘making the right choice’ about alcohol. Brandon was involved in an alcohol-related crash when he was 17, just before his high school prom.
‘We want to make sure that our products stay out of the hands of youth under 21 and we know that educating them about the dangers of underage drinking can help,’ says Guy Smith, Executive Vice President of Diageo North America. ‘Prom season is a critical time for Brandon to share his powerful message, and our aim is to raise awareness about the serious problem of underage drinking and drunk driving and assist our youth to make the right choice about alcohol.’
Helping the elderly in Virginia
We worked with the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to broadcast a series of public service announcements in the Northern Virginia/ DC media market. These were designed to educate customers and carers about alcohol misuse among Virginia’s ageing population.