Has anyone ever visited drinkaware.ie or is it just a self regulation token gesture

Shiraz 4.99

Visions of the webmaster flicking the hit counter with their finger to make sure it's still working.
It's exactly what every drinker wants to do, obtaining a guilt conscious about going overboard & informing oneself of the metrics of alcohol consumption.
Needless to say the type of person who honestly visits this site wouldn't find themselves too high up in our social circles.

Seems to be more a token gesture on the part of the drinks industry to look proactive.

smash

I'm perfectly aware of how to drink without the need for advice...

Barely There

It's just a self regulation token gesture.

kneemos

What is it?

The_Minister

Firstly, they run plenty of TV ads as well as operate the website.

Secondly, very often those kinds of websites are not really aimed at people with problems, so much as their loved ones. Those websites arm people with the language and knowledge and resources to discuss and intervene with people they perceive as being in trouble.

Dravokivich

Shiraz 4.99 wrote: »

Seems to be more a token gesture on the part of the drinks industry to look proactive.

I thought it was a requirement for them to reference and endorse it? Just like the way theatres have to give an announcement about how to leave in case of a fire. All it does is insult intelligence really...

Brussels Sprout

It's a total sham. Something that they can point to to say "Look, we're responsible".

solomafioso

I just love that the drinkaware ads have a picture of a lovely chilled pint on their billboards.

It's almost like they want you to pay extortionate prices in pubs for the stuff!

renegademaster

i have, it's full of crap and is mor a token jesture than anything, a way for the drinks company to keep advertising because they have a logo and silly message in tiny font to drink responsibly

callaway92

Only found out in an advertising module I do in college that Drink Aware is funded by Diageo, Heineken and other drink groups.

Subtly in their website, they are encouraging drinking, not trying to prevent people from doing so:

The trick is to avoid rounds and not to succumb to social pressure to keep up with the fastest drinker…

Plan ahead. Think about the night you hope to have…

How do you want to feel during the night?
How do you want to feel the next morning?
How many drinks do you plan to drink that night?
How much money do you want to spend?
When you’ve made those decisions, you can pace your drinks over the course of the night and be in good shape to enjoy what you plan to do the following day.

“Pre-loading” or drinking a lot at the start of the night often means shortening the night – because you’re too wobbly to hit the tiles later on!

It’s best to avoid rounds because the pace of the round is usually set by the fastest drinker. Rounds are hard on your pocket, and, these days, there is less pressure to drink in rounds because we’re all under more financial pressure.

Ditch the drinking games, they make everyone drink way too much, way too fast. They can have seriously dangerous consequences.

Eat before you start drinking – you are less likely to maintain control if drinking on an empty stomach.

Intersperse alcoholic drinks with water/soft drinks.

Choose lower alcohol alternatives sometimes, switch a pint for a shandy!

Measure what you are drinking at home, we forget to do this sometimes.

Don’t make drinking the only activity, fill your time chatting, laughing, flirting…general socialising!

Be the host(ess) with the most(est), if you’re having a few people around wait until your friends are finished their drinks before topping them up (it will help them keep track of what they’ve drank). Always have non-alcoholic alternatives at the ready. Nobody likes a messy house guest!

However you want to be a responsible host too so here are some simple ways to help guests enjoy the party without putting themselves or others at risk of harm or feeling like death warmed up the day after.

Invest in a spirit measure. Home measures can be double the size of those served in a bar!

Offer water and alcohol free alternatives.

Serve food – it really helps to soak up the alcohol.

Don’t make the punch too strong!

If people have had a bit too much to drink, encourage them (very nicely) to have a soft drink.

Keep a special eye out for young people and make sure they’re OK.

Have taxi phone numbers available and if at all possible pre-book.

Wait until your guests have finished their drink before offering a re-fill. Don’t do a ‘Mrs. Doyle’ on it! if someone says no, don’t insist.

Shambolic site.

NomadicGray

What's a ware and how much booze is in it?

whisky_galore

Drinkaware is just an ass covering measure so the drinks industry can feel better about themselves.

Tiddlypeeps

callaway92 wrote: »

Only found out in an advertising module I do in college that Drink Aware is funded by Diageo, Heineken and other drink groups.

Subtly in their website, they are encouraging drinking, not trying to prevent people from doing so:






Shambolic site.

How is any of that bad advice? I've never assumed their goal was to prevent people from drinking, it's always come across as trying to get people to drink responsibly.

I have no idea if they are effective in this goal or even if they are genuinely trying or just making a token gesture. But all of that advice you quoted seems like solid advice on how to drink sensibly. In what way is any of that advice damaging or even encouraging drinking

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

smash wrote: »

I'm perfectly aware of how to drink without the need for advice...

I would think that the majority of people would need advice on how to drink.

Zubeneschamali

Barely There wrote: »

It's just a self regulation token gesture.

The idea is to do just enough to stop the Government wading in and regulating advertising and sponsorship more heavily.

callaway92

Tiddlypeeps wrote: »

How is any of that bad advice? I've never assumed their goal was to prevent people from drinking, it's always come across as trying to get people to drink responsibly.

I have no idea if they are effective in this goal or even if they are genuinely trying or just making a token gesture. But all of that advice you quoted seems like solid advice on how to drink sensibly. In what way is any of that advice damaging or even encouraging drinking

The way I see it anyway is it's still saying you can drink for the night, and here's how to help you on your way to doing so.

Suppose it's down to personal preference for how you see it.

Tiddlypeeps

callaway92 wrote: »

The way I see it anyway is it's still saying you can drink for the night, and here's how to help you on your way to doing so.

Suppose it's down to personal preference for how you see it.

What's wrong with saying you can drink for the night? There is nothing wrong with having a couple of drinks in a night, recent studies are even showing that it's beneficial to have a few drinks every so often. Those who have a few drinks every so often (no binge drinking) live longer than teetotallers.

If their campaign was "don't drink, it's bad for you, stay away", it would be lying and it would be completely ineffective as nobody would take it seriously.

Telling people how to avoid accidentally going overboard on the drink is much more likely to have an effect on peoples drinking habits than telling them to stop it all together.

Alcohol causes serious harm in this country, but that harm is caused by people who over do it. If you can establish a culture or drinking responsibly and diminish the binge drinking culture then it will go a very long way to reducing the harm alcohol causes here.

callaway92

Tiddlypeeps wrote: »

What's wrong with saying you can drink for the night? There is nothing wrong with having a couple of drinks in a night, recent studies are even showing that it's beneficial to have a few drinks every so often. Those who have a few drinks every so often (no binge drinking) live longer than teetotallers.

If their campaign was "don't drink, it's bad for you, stay away", it would be lying and it would be completely ineffective as nobody would take it seriously.

Telling people how to avoid accidentally going overboard on the drink is much more likely to have an effect on peoples drinking habits than telling them to stop it all together.

Alcohol causes serious harm in this country, but that harm is caused by people who over do it. If you can establish a culture or drinking responsibly and diminish the binge drinking culture then it will go a very long way to reducing the harm alcohol causes here.

I'm not sure. Agree to disagree I suppose. Immediately when I look at their site I see them encouraging drinking (but to do so "safely")

Tin Foil Hat

Tiddlypeeps wrote: »

How is any of that bad advice? I've never assumed their goal was to prevent people from drinking, it's always come across as trying to get people to drink responsibly.

I have no idea if they are effective in this goal or even if they are genuinely trying or just making a token gesture. But all of that advice you quoted seems like solid advice on how to drink sensibly. In what way is any of that advice damaging or even encouraging drinking

Because they're eeeeeevvvvvil, and it's their fault I puked on my shoes. Humans are hysterical morons.

The Moldy Gowl

callaway92 wrote: »

I'm not sure. Agree to disagree I suppose. Immediately when I look at their site I see them encouraging drinking (but to do so "safely")

We'll ya, it's called drink aware ffs. They are giving tips to basically not to give into peer pressure or you will get sick and spend all your money. They are trying to help you not turn into a slobbering idiot and to be aware of how much you are actually drinking.

The reason the big beer brands fund it, it's to be socially responsible. Just because you have had 7 weeks of an advertising module dosent mean you know anything. Big beer brands don't need to have a conspiracy to get people to drink more

catallus

Are these the same bastards that make the off-licences shut at bloody 10pm?!!!

:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

sbsquarepants

Never did and most likely never will.
At oxygen one year I did however step over an extremely drunk young lady who was wrapped in a drinkaware banner. The irony was not lost on me.

callaway92

Gowlasauras Rex wrote: »

We'll ya, it's called drink aware ffs. They are giving tips to basically not to give into peer pressure or you will get sick and spend all your money. They are trying to help you not turn into a slobbering idiot and to be aware of how much you are actually drinking.

The reason the big beer brands fund it, it's to be socially responsible. Just because you have had 7 weeks of an advertising module dosent mean you know anything. Big beer brands don't need to have a conspiracy to get people to drink more

1) Calm down, jesus, I was only giving my personal opinion. Not once did I try to sound like I was "above" anyone else. .

2) 2 years . .

The Moldy Gowl

callaway92 wrote: »

1) Calm down, jesus, I was only giving my personal opinion. Not once did I try to sound like I was "above" anyone else. .

2) 2 years . .

Well with 2 years you should know better as to why companies fund these things.

Ps. Thanks for the pm xoxo

callaway92

Gowlasauras Rex wrote: »

Well with 2 years you should know better as to why companies fund these things.

Again, it was my opinion. That's the whole point of these forums.

*Trying to not take it off topic now

The Moldy Gowl

callaway92 wrote: »

Again, it was my opinion. That's the whole point of these forums.

*Trying to not take it off topic now

Your opinion should be more informed if you studied advertising for 2 years so?

Zubeneschamali

Gowlasauras Rex wrote: »

The reason the big beer brands fund it, it's to be socially responsible.

No, it's a smokescreen so they can pretend to be socially responsible, while preventing the Government from imposing real regulations with teeth.

callaway92

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

No, it's a smokescreen so they can pretend to be socially responsible, while preventing the Government from imposing real regulations with teeth.

Exactly. Couldn't think of those damn words myself!

This is the nail on the head though.

lisakelly01

No Idea

super_furry

I won a pair of Oxegen tickets from them a couple of years back and then drank very unsensibly all weekend, so joke was on them.

Tiddlypeeps

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

No, it's a smokescreen so they can pretend to be socially responsible, while preventing the Government from imposing real regulations with teeth.

This sounds like one of those cliched sound bites without no real backing.

I said already I have no idea if the campaign they run is in anyway successful and I have no idea what their motivations are. But they seem to be approaching the whole thing in a very sensible way that seems (to me anyway) like it could potentially be effective.

Could you elaborate on how it's a smokescreen, why is it ineffective, is it actually ineffective and what government regulations they are attempting to stop that this is likely to have any effect on?