Let’s talk with minors about the dangers of alcohol abuse

“Razgovarajmo s mladima o opasnostima zloupotrebe alkohola” (“Let’s talk with minors about the dangers of alcohol abuse”) is a campaign launched in 2014 of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce Association of Beer, Malt and Hop Producers to raise awareness, among all consumer groups, about the age limit for alcohol consumption permitted in accordance with Croatian law. 

The campaign is composed of two parts, with the first phase including putting up posters on Tisak kiosks and retail outlets, and sales staff wearing badges that communicate the message of prohibited sale of alcohol to minors. The second phase included the design of a brochure in collaboration with experts from the Institute of Public Health. The booklet is intended as a tool for teachers when they teach about the abuse of excessive alcohol consumption. Additionally, a number of workshops and seminars for teachers were planned. 

This is the first responsible drinking campaign in Croatia that brought together the Croatian Association of Beer, Malt and Hop Producers and the Croatian Ministry of Health, to raise awareness of the importance of respecting legal purchasing ages. Campaign activities included: a TV commercial, billboard and city lights campaign; posters, stickers and badges with the campaign slogan “Turn on conscience – sometimes you need to say no to children”; and sales staff of partners were educated about campaign objectives. In addition, a press conference and round table took place that included experts from different areas and state institutions as guest speakers. 

Out of 800 respondents who participated in the campaign post-evaluation research, 75% of them claimed to have seen the campaign, with most respondents believing the campaign to be memorable, convincing and original. 64% of respondents said that the campaign made them think about the sale of alcohol to minors, whilst over 95% of respondents who saw the advertising considered that such a campaign was necessary and that more such campaigns should take place. The campaign was extremely successful as it achieved all of the goals set and also laid the foundations for future collaboration with different stakeholders. In addition to the Ministry of Health, other collaborators were the Horeca Guild and the Association of Retailers of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce. In February 2014, in the 7th Grand Prix competition of the Croatian Association for Public Affairs, the campaign reached the final round and received an award for corporate social responsibility.