Objective

To create a responsible drinking culture.

To empower mindful choices around beverage alcohol.

To reduce alcohol-related harm.

To promote responsible consumption.

To respect the choice not to drink.

Description

Brown-Forman has been committed to alcohol responsibility since its inception. In 2019, they launched PAUSE to elevate responsibility, raise awareness, and inspire more action from their employees.

Through PAUSE, Brown-Forman wants to actively create a responsible drinking culture to reduce alcohol-related harm, promote moderate consumption, respect the choice of not drinking, and ensure responsible marketing of their brands. PAUSE was chosen because of the belief that “responsibility” had been overused, people thought it was boring, a legal mandate and just not inspiring to achieve those their goals.

The campaign is founded on the principle of taking a second to PAUSE to make the best decisions. It is an active reminder to take a moment, encourage awareness, and promote mindful choices. It is not about alcohol but is about people and the reasons they choose to drink if they do choose to drink. If they choose to drink it should be for fun, to connect with others, to bring people together, to enhance and enrich the experience of life. It invites people to PAUSE and:

·        Learn about Brown-Forman’s Responsibility Programme.

·        AND ENJOY; AND THINK; AND REFLECT; AND BREATH; AND HYDRATE; AND SAVOUR; AND TO DECIDE; TO EAT; FOR EACH OTHER; FOR YOU FOR FAMILY.

Brown-Forman believes that to create a responsible drinking culture, the overarching goal, it should start with the company and their employees. Therefore, the PAUSE campaign was originally created as an internal campaign but has evolved to be embraced by industry members and consumers.

In 2021, PAUSE was adapted to speak to consumers who were spending days at home and dealing with added stress and anxiety due to COVID-19. Messages on Brown-Forman’s social media accounts encouraged people to slow down, connect with others, and take a moment for themselves. Additionally, a more culturally resonant campaign was created in Latin America, Tómalo Con Calma (Take it Easy), designed to emphasise a sense of mindfulness and connection. In the U.S. through Pause To Go, tamper-resistant stickers were distributed to bars and restaurants that could be placed on takeout alcoholic beverages, encouraging consumers to pause until they arrived home and to enjoy their drinks responsibly.

Also in 2021, a Pause Seminar Series of virtual courses for members of the hospitality industry were organised during Alcohol Awareness Month. These classes were intended to help professionals grow their skills in areas that aren’t always taught in a conventional bar setting, such as managing stress and anxiety; wellness topics including meditation, yoga, and nutrition; diversity and inclusion in the hospitality industry and budgeting.

As part of the initiative, Brown-Forman also developed new onboarding materials, responsible tasting guidelines and  education sessions for employees. In addition, bystander interventions training with partner Alteristic are also offered to employees, visitor centre leaders and others in the hospitality community. The training teaches how to respond when they notice behaviours that could lead to or constitute sexual assault and harassment, particularly in situations where alcohol is involved.

Results

By 2021, 4,800 employees were reached.

Measurement & evaluation

Since its introduction, PAUSE has taken hold throughout the company reaching employees across the globe. Not only has the word, “pause,” become part of everyday language, the concept of taking a moment to consider alcohol responsibility is even more a part of the behaviour and actions of employees. Employees find PAUSE empowering, easy to understand, relatable and tailorable to their own situation. The company has received comments such as “Oh, my gosh. I told my family. I told my kids about PAUSE.” “You know what? I did pause before I ordered another drink. I paused and had some water.” People from all generations relate to it.

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