The Safer Stockton Partnership's multi agency Think B4U Drink campaign team created something of a stir amongst members of the public in response to their new hard-hitting and very atypical alcohol awareness campaign named "Never underestimate the influence of alcohol in the home".
It's Saturday the 18th July, the sun is blazing and once again Teesside Retail Park is full of heated activity. From busy shoppers, energised children to hectic crowds, today, the grand opening of the Next Sale wasn't the only excitement which was drawing in crowds. Shoppers, attracted by loud music were greeted with the bizarre sight of 'human sheep'- a father and son relaxing in a mocked up living room environment. Besides the pair adorning very realistic synthetic sheep's heads, nothing was too out of the ordinary, both lounging on the couch, enjoying hot pizza and competing on the Nintendo Wii. A closer look however showed both father and son drinking several cans of beer. The live theatre act puzzled and stopped shoppers, many of them raising the question of "why sheep?"
The campaign derives from the governments drive to provide clear massages to parents and teenagers about the health effects and risks of drinking alcohol. Research finds that people are not only drinking more in general, but due to the current climate, cheaper supermarket offers and a tighter hold on spenditure it its obvious and realistic to suggest that having a night in drinking is increasingly becoming more popular.
Heather Hutchings Stockton Council's Alcohol Community Safety Officer notified: "The idea of the sheep's heads was to exemplify how influential adult drinking habits can easily be followed by children. Just as the poster wording exclaims "Your children look up to you, they will follow you, your habits, and your actions"
Whilst the launch event promoted fun interaction between the public and campaign promoters, it also attracted the opportunity to gather crowds of people to watch a short animation displayed on a giant cinema style TV screen and receive snappy Bluetooth mobile phone messages. Both the animation and Bluetooth messages highlighted the essential facts and figures relating to alcohol consumption and young people, enabling a first class opportunity to approach and engage face to face with parents to discuss the fundamental issues we can see to be problematic today.
Joanne Heaney working for Stockton's Drug and Alcohol Action Team Said: "Parents may not realise the detrimental effects that drinking at home can have upon a child and may indirectly influence a child's habits and behaviour, causing them to develop a false perception of alcohol and its dangers.
Nobody is saying the odd drink at home now and again is wrong, but we want people to think about how easily children, like sheep, follow the lead of the older generations. We want this campaign to make people realise their duties as role models for their children and to not only set good examples for responsible alcohol consumption but talk to their child confidently about drinking"
To complement the launch event, the campaign will be advertised in the cinema, on bill boards and bus stop Ad-shells. Six-page leaflets will be independently posted to target areas which provide the vital 'need to know' information for parents including risks and penalties for underage drinking. In addition to the launch at Teesside Retail Park the campaign appeared at the Stockton International Riverside Festival. Not to fall into stereotyping, the campaign imagery does not only focus on a male influence that could be traditionally associated with drinking and irresponsible behaviour, but also targets females, displaying similar imagery of a woman and her daughter emulating a typical nuclear family scenario.
This campaign, along with other quality campaign materials can be purchased from Think B4U Drink, for more information, please visit the specially created website www.alcohol-influence.com or contact:
Heather Hutchings
Community Safety Officer
Development & Neighbourhood Services
Stockton Borough Council
Email: Heather.Hutchings@stockton.gov.uk