Cause for Celebration Replacing Alcohol Industry Sponsorship at Community Events

1
Cause for Celebration?Replacing Alcohol Industry
Sponsorship at Community Events

• Shailushi Baxi Ritchie, MPH
• The Marin Institute

2
The Marin Institute

• Based in San Rafael, California (SF Bay Area)
  but national in scope
• Newly narrowed focus as an alcohol industry
  watchdog

3
Our Vision

• Communities free of the alcohol industrys
  negative influence and an alcohol industry that
  operates in a way that does not harm the publics
  health.

4
Our Strategies

• Monitor alcohol industrys products, promotions,
  and practices
• Expose alcohol industrys damaging activities
• Support community action to reject irresponsible
  industry behavior

5
The Alcohol Industry

• The alcohol industry consists of all individuals
  and entities that produce, distribute or sell
  alcohol for profit.
• Producers such as Diageo and Anheuser-Busch
• Distributors and Wholesalers
• Retailers, such as liquor stores, bars, and
  other community businesses

6
The Role of the Alcohol Industry

• Alcohol industry is primary architect of the
  alcohol environment.
• Profits at the expense of public health
• Hides the truth about its activities

7
The Ps of the Alcohol Industry
Price
Place
Product
Promotion
Public Influence
8
Product

• Typical products such as beer, wine, and
  spirits, as well as
• Flavored malt beverages or alcopops
• Gelatin shots

9
Price

• Low prices for products
• Discounts or specials
• Excise taxes

10
Place

• Number and type of alcohol outlets
• Proximity of outlets to each other

11
Promotion

• Promotions include all of the advertising and
  marketing strategies used to increase sales, such
  as
• Ads in traditional media (TV, print, radio)
• Advertising in new media, including web and
  mobile electronics
• Partnership with other industries to sell branded
  merchandise (e.g. movies, clothing)

12
(No Transcript)
13
(No Transcript)
14

• Product placement in movies, TV, and video games
• Co-promotional activities, such as web tie-ins
• (http//www.weddingcrashersmovie.com/crashthistra
  iler/)

15
Public Influence
The Invisible P

• Public influence is all the things that the
  alcohol industry does to get preferential
  treatment in the political and public sphere,
  including
• Donations
• Contributions/Corporate giving
• Sponsorships and giveaways
• Public Service Announcements (PSAs)
• Political contributions

16
(No Transcript)
17

• Industry- sponsored responsibility messages

18
Corporate Giving

• In 2003, Anheuser-Busch gave between 100-499K
  to
• Boy Scouts of America
• Boys and Girls Club
• Girls Incorporated
• Traffic Injury Research Foundation

19
Reject Alcohol Sponsorship and Promotions
20
What is Sponsorship?

• Sponsorship is the provision of money or other
  resources to support an event in exchange for
  recognition.

21
Sponsorship Takes Many Forms
22
(No Transcript)
23
(No Transcript)
24
Event Sponsorship

• Sponsors pay for
• Advertising, e.g. Banners and signs at the event
• Mention in event materials, e.g. Coors Light is a
  sponsor of the County Fair!
• Recognition statements, e.g Brought to you by
• Perks can also include
• Promotions, such as product tasting or games
• Giveaways, such as toys and T-shirts
• Exclusive pour rights

25
Whats the Problem with Sponsorship?

• Sponsorship is the perfect marriage of alcohol
  promotion and the industrys attempt to extend
  its public influence.

26
The Perfect Marriage

• Sponsorship of community events is a way for the
  alcohol industry to
• Promote its products by sidestepping advertising
  regulations
• Court public favor by associating brands with
  feel-good events and distract people from the
  negative effects of the product

27
Sponsorship as Promotion

• There is some oversight and regulation of
  traditional advertising.
• Current industry standard for ad placement is 70
  or greater of viewing audience 21
• Content is self-regulated by trade associations
  which set guidelines and review complaints.
• FTC and other groups monitor advertising and
  complaints.

28
Sponsorship as Promotion

• Sponsorship has no standards or oversight
  system.
• Data about attendees, including age,
  racial/ethnic background, and sex, is often not
  collected.
• Banners and other signage is unavoidable.

29
Sponsorship is Undercover Advertising

• Signage with logos and brand messages is
  everywhere
• Community events are popular with youth and
  families____________________

Advertising to Youth
30
Advertising to Youth

• A growing body of research indicates that
  exposure to alcohol advertising is a contributing
  factor in underage alcohol consumption.
• University of Connecticut study indicates that,
  even for young people who perceive less
  advertising, they are more likely to drink if
  they live in a highly saturated community.

31
Sponsorship as Public Relations

• The alcohol industry has a public relations
  problem!
• It sells a product that is linked to crime,
  violence, car crashes, neighborhood degeneration,
  and generally poor decisions by individuals.

32
Sponsorship as Public Relations

• 134 billion in productivity and earnings lost
  each year
• 40 of traffic crashes
• 17,000 college student deaths per year
• Decreased QoL at the neighborhood level
  (nuisance, litter, graffiti, and noise)
• Overconcentration of outlets linked to crime and
  violence

33
Net Effect on Communities

• Sponsorship brings in a little money for the
  event but costs a lot in problems.
• The event is tainted in the public eye because
  of the connection with alcohol sponsor.

34
Replacing Alcohol Sponsorship

• Steps
• Get a handle on the situation
• Make key connections
• Find common ground
• Advocate for change
• Replace funding
• Follow-up after the event

35
Get a Handle on the Situation

• Get as much info as you can about
• Sponsorship costs and process
• Event itself
• Alcohol-related problems in the community or at
  the event
• What is actually happening at the event
• Public opinion about the event

36
Make Key Connections

• Ask yourself
• Who else might be interested in replacing alcohol
  sponsorship?
• How might you convince them to join your effort?

37
The Message is the Key
What are community events really about?

• Neighborhood, city, and county fairs ?
• Holiday celebrations (Cinco de Mayo, St.
  Patricks Day) ?
• Sports events ?

Community celebration/Family entertainment Cult
ural heritage Physical fitness and skill
38
Finding Common Ground

• It is important to articulate a positive vision
  for the future.
• Need develop a shared vision of what the problem
  is and how things will be better.
• Also, consider short and long term outcomes that
  define success in different ways.

39
Advocate for Change

• Talk It Up!
• Meet with key decision-makers to propose a
  change in event sponsorship.

But remember, sponsorship is about money, so be
prepared to talk dollars and cents.
40
Fill the Funding Gap

• Have a plan for how to replace the lost
  sponsorship dollars.

• Be creative in your replacement tactics!
• Another single sponsor
• Several smaller sponsors
• In-kind donations to reduce costs
• Price controls to generate additional revenue

41
Follow-Up after the Event

• If you succeeded
• Document how things are different
• Ask people what they think about the changes
• Get data about what happened at the event

• If you didnt succeed
• Collect more information to use as evidence
• Ask people if they would support changes
• Get data about problems and costs

42
It Can Be Done

• Communities have ended their sponsorship
  agreements with alcohol companies and survived!

43
Marin County Fair

• Community groups and local youth worked together
  and
• Replaced title sponsorship in 2004
• Ended all alcohol sponsorship in 2005
• County ordinance prohibits any alcohol or tobacco
  sponsorship in 2006
• The Fair also thrived and increased its revenues
  in 2006.

44
Other Events without Alcohol Sponsorship

• National Indian Rodeo Finals
• Walworth County Fair, WI
• Indiana State Fair
• Gus Macker 3-3 basketball tournaments
• The Gathering of Nations

45
Sponsorship and Promotions Initiative

• National initiative supported by Marin Institute
• Replace alcohol sponsorship and other promotions
  at community events, such as fairs and festivals

46
How to Get Involved

• Sponsorship and Promotions Initiative
• Contact Shailushi Ritchie at shailushib_at_MarinInsti
  tute.org
• National launch for initiative in late 2006 will
  include support services such as
• Peer learning network
• Distance and onsite technical assistance
• News about successful community models

47
www.MarinInstitute.org