Objective

To promote responsible / mindful drinking and to focus on the appreciation for product quality rather than the quantity consumed.

To raise awareness of the alcohol content of drinks.

To raise awareness of the recommended weekly Chief Medical Officer's Low Risk Drinking guidelines (14 units). 

To raise awareness of the unit equivalence between different drinks.

Description

Launched in 2023, Made to Be Measured is the first consumer facing responsible drinking campaign developed by the Scotch Whisky Association. Focussing on adults across Scotland, the campaign aims to promote appreciation of Scotch Whisky as a high-quality product to be savoured responsibly, while increasing awareness of alcohol units across different drinks, the Chief Medical Officer’s low-risk drinking guidelines of 14 units per week, and the importance of accurately measuring your Scotch.

The campaign runs across a range of digital and consumer platforms, all using creative advertising to help convey and clarify the units within Scotch Whisky and other alcoholic drinks.

The campaign visuals were created to help the consumer understand the differences between different alcoholic drinks and to give anyone who chooses to drink the information they need to make an informed decision about how many units they are consuming, and where that sits according to the Chief Medical Officers’ (CMO) low-risk drinking guidelines. 

Campaign messaging:

• Made to be Measured: “Measured” has a double meaning which conveys a mindful approach to drinking, and the importance of measuring out spirits in 25ml amounts (at 40% ABV).
• The 25 ml / 1 unit line promotes unit understanding and the measurement of spirits like Scotch Whisky at 40% ABV.
• Made to be measured / Savour your scotch: Scotch is best enjoyed by sipping and savouring: it is a spirit that has taken a minimum of three years to make.
• Keep within the guidelines and do not regularly exceed 14 units of alcohol per week: One single 25ml measure of whisky (at 40% abv) comes in at one unit, with guidelines from Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer recommending consumers do not regularly drink more than 14 units of alcohol per week. Fourteen units of alcohol equate to approximately 14 single measures (25ml) of spirits, one and a half bottles of wine or five pints of lager at average strength.

The campaign is now entering its 4th year and plans to build on its success since 2023. It also continues to sponsor various Holyrood Sources Podcast events and episodes.

Results

In 2024 the campaign was awarded Gold Honour in the Shorty Impact Awards for Best Corporate Social Responsibility Campaign. In 2025 the campaign reached a cumulative total of 2.08 million people and generated 5.5 million impressions across social media.

 

Measurement & evaluation

Each year the campaign is evaluated through consumer research.

January 2026: Between 12 and 25 January 2026 a quantitative online survey was conducted by JUMP Research among adults aged 24–55 in Scotland who drink alcohol. The sample was sourced via three online panel partners, achieving a final sample size of 518 respondents.

The results show:

• 49% are aware of the Chief Medical Officer’s (CMO) guidelines; only 1 in 6 knew the correct unit limit (14 units/week).
• 88% of those who saw the campaign took action. Just under a third said they had cut down on alcohol; while other actions included thinking about and discussing the different amount / units of alcohol in different drinks and looking for more information on units / CMO guidance.
• Campaign performance across all core campaign metrics was strong, and increased vs Years 1 and 2. The campaign stands out, conveys an interesting message and is clearly perceived as relevant by the audience.
• Messaging effectiveness: 88% recognised the campaign as promoting responsible drinking, and 79% reported a better understanding of alcohol content across different drinks. An increase of 3% and 4% respectively from Year 2 of the campaign.
• 78% said the campaign encourages them to drink responsibly (+5% from Year 2); 75% said the campaign helps them remember the CMOs’ guidance (+4% from Year 2); 75% said the campaign makes them think more about the number of units of alcohol in drinks (+5% from Year 2).

Website

https://www.scotch-whisky.org.uk/industry-insights/a-responsible-industry/made-to-be-measured/

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