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Drink Right tackles driving

Published:Friday | March 27, 2015 | 12:00 AMChad Bryan
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Dianne Ashton Smith, head of corporate relations at Red Stripe, and Jeffrey ‘Assassin’ Campbell enjoy the brand new 1-litre bottling of Red Stripe during the Big Vibes event at the Red Stripe Oval on Friday, March 28.
Minister of Youth Lisa Hanna and Olympian Warren Weir out to show their support of the Red Stripe Drink Right We ID programme at its launch at the company’s head office, Spanish Town Road, on Wednesday, August 27, 2014.
Canadian record producer and rapper Kardinal Offishall shows his support of the Drink Right movement.
Contributed
Winners of the Drink Right Taxi promotion (from left) Stacy Ann Gordon, Jodi Ann Sewell, and Orinthia Bailey proclaim the message.
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In 2013, Jeffrey Campbell, who deejays as Agent Sasco and Assassin, was one of the first entertainers to be involved in Red Stripe's Drink Right campaign to tackle alcohol consumption by persons under the legal age.

Now, he has done a jingle for the ongoing campaign, which focuses extensively on drinking and driving, addressing from the breathalyser test to accidents and making references to speeding and the Dover Raceway in the short song.

Assassin told Automotives that he fully supports Drink Right.

"Actions speak louder than words. My being a part of the campaign shows that I support such an initiative to promote responsible behaviour as it relates to the consumption of alcohol. It's a very dangerous practice to do otherwise," he said.

It is not the first time that Drink Right has taken to the streets, a previous campaign to spread the word of responsibility giving the winners a free ride.

Nearly two years after launching Drink Right, beer company Red Stripe has noticed a decline in the number of underage children gaining access to parties.

"We can categorically state that we have seen a significant reduction in underage children gaining access to 18-and-over parties. Since the launch, we have banded in excess of 1,000,000 party goers and have turned away close to 700 underage patrons from our parties. Thanks to our partnership with the National Council on Drug Abuse, JABA (Jamaica Alcoholic Beverage Association), and our promoters," said head of Corporate Relations at Red Stripe Dianne Ashton-Smith.

 

Strong commitment

The campaign was launched in December 2013 as part of the company's commitment to reduce harmful drinking. According to Red Stripe, the commitments represent the most ambitious and comprehensive initiative that has been undertaken to address harmful drinking. These commitments are to focus on reducing drinking and driving, providing consumer information and responsible product innovation, and strengthening the marketing codes of practice, among others.

Drink Right has garnered widespread support and endorsements from the Prime Minister of Jamaica Portia Simpson Miller, the Minister of Youth and Culture Lisa Hanna, and the Road Safety Unit n the Ministry of Transport and Works.

Red Stripe has invested over $36 million in the campaign.

The campaign has also been well received since Red Stripe incorporated artistes such as Agent Sasco and Wayne Marshall to sing the theme song behind the campaign.

The lyrics include the exhortation to:

"Think right, drink right...

Yow! We make them know seh we a think right, drink right"

The evidence: 20,000 views on YouTube with over 20,600 views for the seven entries in the 'Make the Cut' competition, which ran from October to December 2014; approximately 160,000 Facebook views and 3,800 likes; 9,139 fans; 704 consumers following Instagram, and 185 followers on Twitter. Over 200,000 Jamaicans have made the pledge online and signed the iPledge board at events; the 1,000 individuals who have gone through our education seminars; TV viewers who have seen our ads strategically placed during high consumption periods," Ashton-Smith, pointed out.