Diageo joins forces with government for new campaign to tackle drink driving

Diageo has partnered with THINK!, the government’s official road safety campaign, to launch a new digital programme aimed at tackling drink driving over the festive period.

Running on Guinness and Captain Morgan social channels, the initiative calls on people to stop friends from getting behind the wheel after they have had a drink.

The partnership will see THINK! relaunch its highly successful #PintBlock campaign which is aimed at younger male drivers, who are historically over-represented in drink drive related road casualties, as the latest data has shown that 78 per cent of drink-drive accidents involve male drivers or riders over the legal alcohol limit.

Roads Minister Baroness Vere said: “Our THINK! campaign has already done so much to raise awareness of the dangers of drink-driving and this becomes even more important as we approach the festive season. 32 per cent of young men said they would feel uncomfortable asking a friend not to drink and drive and it’s vital that we continue to take action to change that. We are proud to be working in partnership with Diageo to change behaviour and attitudes around drink driving together.”

The series of short films will be redistributed across social and on digital display in pubs and bars across the UK to remind young people that ‘a mate doesn’t let a mate drink drive’. For the first time, they will also direct viewers to a landing page on the THINK! website featuring ‘Wrong Side of the Road’ - Diageo’s new virtual learning experience which allows individuals to have a conversation with a real drink driver to help understand the consequences of drink driving.

Diageo added that it will amplify the campaign’s message with a series of digital activations across both Captain Morgan and Guinness. Captain Morgan has partnered with influencer, presenter and reality TV star, Sam Thompson, to release 15, 30 and 60 second social assets.

Guinness, also involved in the campaign, launched social assets featuring Guinness 0.0.

“Investing in programmes such as Wrong Side of The Road is vital in combatting drink driving. If you are a true mate, you cannot let your friends drink drive. Our partnership with THINK! will hopefully remind people of this powerful message,” Dayalan Nayager, managing director at Diageo GB, said.