Labatt Spreads the Moderation Message with First Global Be(er) Responsible
Day

TORONTO, Sept. 15 /CNW/ - As part of its dream to be the Best Beer Company in a Better World, Labatt and its sister Anheuser Busch InBev companies, will celebrate the first-annual Global Be(er) Responsible Day on September 15 to promote the importance of responsible drinking.  Employees in more than 20 markets around the world will share a "day- in-the-trade" to connect with customers and consumers to promote responsible enjoyment of AB InBev products and reinforce the company's commitment to moderation.

"We have regular 'days-in-the-trade' to educate employees on the commercial side of the business, but our September 15 visit will bring our commitment to responsible drinking to life with the first annual Global Be(er) Responsible Day," said Charlie Angelakos, Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Labatt. "While we're conducting our regular store checks, we're going to take the opportunity to share our responsible drinking philosophy with consumers and partner with wholesalers, distributors and retailers to extend the reach of our message."

Labatt employees will wear special Crash Bobble t-shirts highlighting the company's latest responsible drinking campaign, launched across the country this past Canada Day, to encourage discussion and responsible consumption among young adults.  Each employee will promote the campaign by encouraging consumers, family and friends to view the Crash Bobble webisodes on YouTube that highlight the consequences of drinking and driving.

According to a Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF) survey of Canadians on drinking and driving (Road Safety Monitor, 2008),  more Canadians are concerned about drinking and driving than any other societal issue -- 79% of Canadians say they are very or extremely concerned about drinking and driving.  While a 2010 report prepared by TIRF for Transport Canada (Alcohol Crash Problem in Canada) shows that 38% of fatally injured drivers tested positively for the presence of alcohol a few years ago, there was an overall 41% decline in drinking driver fatalities from two decades ago.   However, there remains a serious problem with 22% of fatally injured drinking drivers having blood alcohol levels greater than 0.16, double the legal limit of 0.08).   

"We had tremendous response to our Crash Bobble webisodes this summer," said Angelakos.  "Drinking and driving in Canada is still a major issue, and each webisode really gets to the heart of the matter in a lasting way."

The employees will also hand out pocket cards that reinforce the responsible drinking message and encourage people to participate in Labatt's moderation campaign contest on Facebook.   By sharing their designated driver stories online, participants have the chance to win an Apple iPad prize pack, movie passes, a private chauffeur and more.  Full contest details are available at www.facebook.com/pages/Labatt-Draw-The-Line.  

A History of Responsible Use Leadership

Global Be(er) Responsible Day is another first in Labatt's ongoing commitment to promoting responsible drinking.  For more than two decades, Labatt has taken a leadership role in building awareness among Canadians through its various campaigns and has engaged Canadians to help spread the word on responsible drinking.  

Major initiatives include:

Know When to Draw the Line - One of Canada's longest running and most widely recognized campaigns, Know When to Draw the Line (À Vous de Tracer Votre Ligne de Conduite in Quebec) has become a synonym for the responsible enjoyment of alcohol from coast to coast.    Labatt promotes the safety of young Canadians with positive, relevant messaging that includes award-winning commercials, point-of-sale reminders from posters to coasters, and national print campaigns.

Make a Plan - Labatt's "Make a Plan" campaign was first launched in 2005 and continues to focus on helping Canadians plan ahead for the responsible and safe enjoyment of alcohol to further reduce the incidence of drinking and driving. Young adults across Canada have helped build this campaign by providing insight and feedback on tips for responsible use and by illustrating each tip with original artwork.

Crash Bobbles - Launched this past July, this original web series promoted through Facebook and YouTube encourages discussion and responsible consumption among young adults.

For more information, visit www.labatt.com

About Labatt Breweries of Canada

Since its founding in 1847, Labatt has become an internationally renowned brewer.  Today, Labatt is a proud member of AB InBev, producing over 60 quality beers, employing 3,000 Canadians, and operating six breweries from coast to coast. For more information about Labatt Breweries of Canada visit: www.labatt.com.  

For further information:

Jennifer Zed/ Kate Kernahan
Edelman
416.849.2839/ 416.849.3107
[email protected]/ [email protected]