CUB take aim at alcohol awareness group FARE after Drinkwise ad comes in for criticism
Brewer Carlton & United Breweries (CUB) has taken aim at alcohol awareness group Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE) which has today launched a social media campaign against the latest DrinkWise advert.
This morning FARE’s CEO Michael Thorn penned an opinion piece which was highly critical of the DrinkWise campaign, arguing it was a cleverly disguised beer ad, not a public health message. A video released by FARE this afternoon takes aim at the creation of the DrinkWise campaign by agency Clemenger BBDO Melbourne.
FARE’s response to the Drinkwise ad
In a response to the criticism CUB has sought to highlight what it claims is the $115m the group has received in government funding over the last decade, arguing the group is spending too much on administration and not on what it was set up to do, public education.
“This money should be immediately invested into developing a meaningful public education campaign rather than funding a special interest lobby group, and criticising other campaigns,’ said Jeremy Griffith, director of corporate affairs for CUB.
Drinkwise’s new commercial
“It is ironic the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education would criticise a well-researched and effective industry responsible consumption campaign, when it currently has no relevant campaign themselves despite receiving $115m in government funding”.
“It currently has $36m in reserves which is being used to fund a very large administration. Administration now consumes 45 percent of its total expenses.”
CUB also said it believed that FARE had failed to invest in any “meaningful” advertising campaign arguing that it has been the alcohol industry DrinkWise campaigns which have had the best success.
“The Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE) was established over 10 years ago with a $115million grant to educate the public on responsible consumption,” said Griffith. “This money was raised from Australian beer drinkers.”
“Unfortunately, over this period, the Foundation has failed to invest in any meaningful campaign. The only campaigns in the last decade that have had any impact have been the industry funded DrinkWise campaigns – the highly successful ‘Kid’s absorb your drinking’, ‘How to drink properly’ and now the new ‘You won’t miss a moment if you DrinkWise’.”
“Instead, FARE has moved away from education to instead becoming a highly vocal political lobby group to promote its special interests.”
DrinkWise has also issued a statement defending its advertising from the criticisms levelled by FARE, with chief executive John Scott saying: “You won’t miss a moment if you DrinkWise’ invites any organisation or entity with a stake in changing poor drinking cultures to engage in a shared vision: a clear message of moderation.
“The creative concept for this new initiative was tested with the public, who found it to be a powerful visual metaphor that works well to covey that more drinking equates to less enjoyment.
“While everyone is entitled to their opinion, the early positive response to the initiative is strong. ‘You won’t miss a moment if you DrinkWise’ reflects a wish established by consumer research into event-centric drinking, that showed missing out on forming memories of an event was a powerful tension.”
Updated 4.44pm: FARE’s CEO Michael Thorn said in a statement to Mumbrella:
“It is very telling, but not at all surprising, that the first to leap to the defence of the DrinkWise beer advertisement is Carlton United Breweries, one of the nation’s largest beer barons.
“I have no doubt that Carlton United Breweries would like nothing else than for FARE to exhaust its reserves funding big budget beer ads. Rest assured FARE has no intention of being intimidated by the likes of CUB, and will continue to ensure its funding goes instead towards meaningful research and advocacy efforts focussed, not on beer ads masquerading as education campaigns, but on proven evidence-based solutions that will actually reduce the heavy alcohol toll that sees 15 Australians killed and a further 430 Australians hospitalised every single day.”
Nic Christensen
bang. what he said!
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I feel like I’ve just walked in to a fight between two six year old’s over who’s imaginary friend is better.
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Can someone ask Michael Thorne to explain why would the beer industry need yet another advert, especially one that doesn’t have any brand, pricing or retailing message?
What FARE can never understand is that the alcohol industry doesn’t need marketing to sell drinking to the public, because drinking sells itself by being fun and enjoyable. The industry needs marketing to sell companies’ brands.
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https://mumbrella.com.au/drinkwise-mike-daube-clemenger-melbourne-binge-drinking-209951
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Totally back Michael on this – Drinkwise will always be heavily lobbied by the powerful alcohol industry. After spending years in the hospitality industry I’ve seen the direct impact alcohol has on families especially when your 21 year old mate dies in a car accident because of a alcohol.
John Scott knows the above Drinkwise TVC is a soft campaign and a big percentage of revenue comes from consumers who excessively drink alcohol.
I’m not against having a beer after work or during a sporting match – but to say the above ad will move people to think twice about drinking hard doesn’t understand the power of the many more ads which revolve around convincing young men that if you don’t drink your not a real man.
Good on you Michael for funding more meaningful research which will actually save a young lives.
Cheers
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Fare and Drinkwise = Gillard and Rudd?
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Hey Mumbrella, What’s happened to Thorn’s response which was up earlier? Technical glitch or editorial decision?
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seems the FARE focus is on beating up industry rather than educating consumers
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Hi lam,
Not quite sure what happened there, it was up, then not, but it’s been restored now.
Gremlins in the system, nothing more sinister.
Cheers,
Alex – editor, Mumbrella
I don’t think it’s in the industries best interest for people to drink less. There is no branding but few would miss that Carlton Draught is a major sponsorship partner of the AFL and currently synonymous with the game. That said, the ad does portray the negative CNS effects of alcohol and withdrawal from reality; although it could’ve been done without the glass of beer trigger.
The predictable retaliatory response from CUB to FARE is unfounded. This is an excellent means of educating people and to make them think about and question the motives of an alcohol industry ad campaign. It’s important to consider that many studies claiming the health benefits of alcohol (and completely overlooking any adverse effects) are funded by the alcohol industry.
As for the earlier comment about alcohol being fun and enjoyable, I agree that alcohol can be these if used responsibly, however, one must also consider alcohol’s relationship with violence (including domestically), sexual assault and the many related adverse health consequences.
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I don’t even get DrinkWise’s message…? So either it’s a lousy health promotion ad or Michael is right, the whole intention was to remind us to drink CUB’s beer at the footy. Even though most of us can drink responsibly I think the thing is that the alcohol industry shouldn’t be trusted to give health messages in the same way that tobacco industry shouldn’t.
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The first prohibition movement tried to de-legitimise the voice of the alcohol industry.
Looks like the second time around, its modern day successors are trying the same tactic.
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The criticism of the DrinkWise campaign is entirely fair and legitimate. Like most of the alcohol industry’s half-hearted attempts at self-regulation, DrinkWise is a fig-leaf that allows industry bosses to claim they are actively trying to mitigate against the massive health and social damage caused by their industry & their product, without actually doing anything that might lead to reduced sales.
The long, protracted Last Drinks campaign to introduce tighter licensing controls over pubs & clubs in Sydney was a perfect example of how hard the booze industry will fight to stop any genuine measures to curb alcohol-related harm. In the end the weight of public opinion was too great and the pubs & clubs lost.
Great work FARE, keep fighting against these corporate thugs.
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drinking is not a sport and shouldn’t be advertised there – the DrinkWise ad is an ad for beer not for moderation – nor education.
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Clemenger BBDO Melbourne is DrinkWise’s Agency, and you can guarantee their loyalties are to their biggest and most creative client CUB
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Is “Pregnant Pause” not a meaningful campaign, CUB? Because a countless number of people living with FASD, an incurable irreversible range of conditions caused by alcohol consumption in pregnancy, apparently is not enough. I’d like to know what a “meaningful campaign” by CUB’s definition is, because preventing deaths, injury, brain damage and disability all caused by alcohol aren’t apparently worth advocating or campaigning for.
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Well done to FARE and Michael Thorn. Drinkwise is little more than an alternative advertising campaign and a shell of an organisation to make Big Alcohol look like they care. If you think that the drinkwise ads seem allittle confusing, or their message is mixed (the kids absorb your drinking was particularly ambiguous) it’s because sit is meant to be like that. It’s meant to send mixed messages.
Keep up the great work FARE. Let’s not pretend that the alcohol industry truly cares about our health and well being.
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Michael Thorn sounds like a comment you’d read on Campaign Brief.
The DrinkWise execution is solid and changes the conversation from the usual health benefits. Good luck Michael with your ad of a guy throwing up on himself.
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