Description
The project „Introducing term „Passive drinking“ and changing attitudes and behaviour regarding alcohol abuse” focus on the harm that drinking does to people around the drinker as well as to the whole society compared to most cases when alcohol policy discussion centres around harm that alcohol does to the drinker. Objectives of the project are: 1) bringing the term „passive drinking” into the alcohol topic communication - people are familiar with the expression and can interpret damages in accordance to the self- and society, 2) changing attitudes: involving the wider public in the discussion of passive alcohol use, special focus is on young people age 15-19 - the ones with whom it is still possible to prevent drinking habits, 3) changing behaviour: to influence policy makers trough involving public, to implement restrictive measures on alcohol abuse. Comprehensive and integrated communication campaign with TV and radio clips, a special website supported by press releases, articles and events (seminar and a conference) and meetings is used to reach the target audience.
Summary of project results
Objectives of the project were bringing the term passive drinking into the alcohol topic communication, changing attitudes and behaviour. Large-scale mass media campaign and associated communication succeeded to bring the passive drinking term and its content to the attention of the society, and thus also affect people's opinions and attitudes. Average awareness rate of social campaign introducing the term was 86% in June (after 1st wave of campaign in March – May, 2015) and 89% in November (after 2nd wave in October-November, 2015). Target group was the wider public with a special focus on young people age 15-19 and policy makers. The passive drinking (harm to others) term was introduced in articles, press, intrerviews, social media, spokespersons, trainings, seminars. Communication campaign integrated TV, radio and cinema. Campaign was supported by the web-site containing the clips, press releases, articles and events. The campaign message focused mainly on children and their protection. Therefore the campaign was best remembered through TV clips, by women, in the age-group of 25-44, with the income 751-1000 EUR and by people having children younger than school age. Calculations show that the cheapest remembrance was among cinema-goers watching the clips before the movie, remembrance in social media was cheaper than for TV. Russian speaking population remembered the campaign worse than Estonian speaking population. Opinion about the campaign was that it had a clear message, it was believable and important. Men and people with lower income appreciated less the importance and friendliness of the campaign. 79% of the respondents explained the term in a way that indicated that the term was correctly (as the campaigners thought) sentenced. Measurable results (scampaign message seers / listeners / undrestanders) were very positive. Not measurable results (societal attitudes and the subsequent decisions of politicians) have a positive motivation for future work and for its further development. Alcohol was a topic in the political platforms of all parties of the parliament elections in the 2015. Estonia is reforming alcohol policy at the moment (incl. availability and advertising regulation) and this campaign among others provided a good ground for these changes and promoted behavioural change for improving individuals’ wellbeing and reducing risk behaviour.
Summary of bilateral results