Government steps up anti-binge drinking drive

by David Tiltman, Marketing 22-Nov-05, 08:30

LONDON - The government is planning its most high-profile anti-binge drinking campaign to date as part of its ongoing multimillion-pound clampdown on antisocial behaviour and problem drinking.

The cross-media campaign, which is in the early planning stages, will be run jointly by the Department of Health and the Home Office, and is scheduled to break next spring. Agencies are expected to be contacted early next year to pitch for the work by COI Communications.

The campaign will follow the current hard-hitting activity warning of on-the-spot fines for alcohol-fuelled disorderly behaviour. One poster spells out "£80" in vomit.

Despite the government's hardline stance on antisocial behaviour and binge drinking, the ads, which were created by RKCR/Y&R, were backed by a media budget of just £150,000.

The government is under particular pressure to tackle binge drinking as it prepares for this Thursday's changes to licensing laws in England and Wales that will see 24-hour pub opening finally become a reality.

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