Abstract

This case is about the various initiatives adopted by the Alcohol Advisory Council of New Zealand (ALAC) to initiate a behavior change in the binge drinking culture of New Zealand. Binge drinking was a huge problem in New Zealand and its harmful consequences led to the country incurring costs to the tune of around NZ$ 4 billion a year. ALAC’s several marketing communications initiatives coupled with various community outreach initiatives aimed at influencing the people to adopt a healthy lifestyle and curb their excessive drinking habits. Realizing that its ‘It’s not the drinking. It’s how we’re drinking’ marketing communication campaign (March 2005- March 2008) — though successful in creating awareness about the harmful consequences excessive alcohol consumption - had largely failed to initiate a behavior change among the people, ALAC launched the ‘brutally honest’ campaign in April 2008. In contrast to ALAC’s earlier campaign, the ‘brutally honest’ campaign was hard-hitting and focused on stark realities associated with binge drinking. While the initial response to the campaign was somewhat positive with the target audience recalling the message and a significant section considering curbing their alcohol consumption, the campaign also attracted a lot of criticism for its graphic content. Some viewers found the advertisements disturbing, especially for children.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• Appreciate the initiatives taken by ALAC to bring about a change in the prevalent drinking culture of New Zealand. Understand the evolution of ALAC’s marketing campaign to change the behavior of New Zealanders to prevent binge drinking. Analyze the ‘It’s

Keywords

Social Marketing, Marketing communication, Brutally honest campaign, Community outreach initiatives, Behavior change, Brand recognition, Publicity, Billboards, Advertising, Promotion, Alcohol Advisory Council of New Zealand, ALAC