In Croatia, a country with a population barely passing 4 million people, according to official statistics, there are 250.000 alcoholics. The situation will hardly improve with children having their first contact with alcohol at the age of 11, far beyond 18, the legal age for drinking in Croatia.
But why is this problem so common here? Drinking is part of the social norm. Generations of adults had been growing up in different social surroundings where alcohol was an important part of life. In Croatian society, boys were encouraged to drink to prove the “real men” status, and alcohol was considered the best home-made medicine. Thus, many still have ambiguous feelings about underage drinking and are still prone to allow drinking to minors – 35% of adults feel alcohol consumption is a normal part of growing up.
We decided to partner up with the Croatian Chamber of Commerce: the Association of beer, malt, and hop producers to raise awareness on how important zero-tolerance for underaged drinking is and emphasize the need to obey the law forbidding serving alcohol to minors. Our campaign combines research, investigative journalism, good quality native content, and multi-platform distribution approach to create a wake-up call for irresponsible adults.