With the Super Bowl passed it is a reminder of the power of advertising. This year sponsor’s paid $3.5 million USD per minute to air their message. Scotland is using a similar marketing blitz to curb the drinking of its women.
Drop a Glass Size
Ministers have launched a new blitz on middle-class drinkers with a new campaign that urges women to “drop a glass size”.
Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon wants women who regularly enjoy a glass of wine at home to cut back on their drinking, and says they should give up alcohol for two days a week.
The new “Alcohol Behaviour Change” initiative also includes the launch of an App which illustrates how alcohol can speed up the ageing process.
38% of Scottish Women Drink Too Much
Scottish Government research found that 38 per cent of women regularly exceed guidelines. The Government says a woman can spend less than £3 on drink and still exceed the weekly guidelines, while an estimated one in 30 female deaths in Scotland is alcohol-related.
Research has shown that most people who drink alcohol, particularly at home, have no idea of how much they are actually consuming. This campaign aims to show people how small changes to their drinking habits can have a significant impact on their health.
The “Drinking Time Machine” App for smartphones combines a person’s picture with details of their drinking habits to reveal how alcohol can result in a plumper face, red patches across the cheeks and duller hair and eyes.
The campaign will also feature three different sized wine glasses to show how making “a small change” can reap health benefits.
The Scottish have long been known for their drinking (like their neighbors the Irish, and other neighbors the English). These countries need more alcohol classes and continued efforts to halt drinking at the earliest ages before it stops. Parents, like the Scottish women targeted with this campaign need to be role models for their children as well.