Home Office revives binge-drinking onslaught

by David Tiltman, Marketing 22-Mar-06

The Home Office has resurrected plans for a multimillion-pound campaign to tackle binge-drinking three months after shelving them due to lack of funding.

The COI has contacted RKCR/Y&R, United London and Mother regarding the
work, which will form the government's most high-profile
sensible-drinking activity to date. Naked will handle communications

planning.

The pitch was initially called late last year as a joint venture between
the Home Office and Department of Health (DoH), with the work due to
appear in the spring. It was put on hold after DoH officials imposed a
freeze on public-health spending because of a financial crisis at the
NHS (Marketing, 21 December).

The DoH is still reviewing its budgets for the 2005/06 financial year
and has yet to sign off funding for the activity.

It is understood that the Home Office, which has the funding in place,
will lead the campaign, while the DoH will continue to be involved in
its development. The activity is set to break in the autumn.

Last year RKCR/Y&R created a £150,000 poster campaign for the Home
Office warning of on-the-spot penalties for drunken behaviour.

Drink problem, page 14.