Sixty firms back Drinkaware campaign

Sixty companies have agreed to get involved in the third year of Drinkaware's alcohol awareness campaign — Why Let Good Times Go Bad?

The campaign for 2011, launched today, challenges young adults' attitudes towards excessive alcohol consumption and the social acceptability of drunkenness.

The partnership between Drinkaware, alcohol producers, on and off trade retailers encourages young adults to change their behaviour by adopting tips for smarter drinking: eating a meal before drinking, pacing alcoholic drinks with soft drinks and looking after their friends. In 2010, 77% of young adults questioned stated they had adopted one of the campaign tips.

A £3 million outdoor advertising campaign will kick off today with London Underground and train station adverts, bus stop posters, town centre adverts and billboards across the UK.

The initiative represents an investment of £100m across the industry over five years.

A mobile phone app has been launched this year offering advice for a night out - such as finding friends, help on sobering up and a 'get me home' feature providing taxi details.

Chris Sorek, chief executive of Drinkaware, said: "'Why let good times go bad?' is a great example of the private and voluntary sectors working together to promote social change. Binge drinking among 18 to 24 year olds must be tackled and this five year commitment aims to help young adults change their own behaviour and tackle the acceptability of drunkenness.

"Vital to the campaign's success is reaching directly to the target audience by focusing activity in the spaces they use the most and maximising the investment in the campaign.

"This is only possible with the active support of Drinkaware funding companies who will amplify the campaign through their own communications - on packages, in pubs and in stores."