Coca-Cola shouts designated drivers non-alcoholic drinks

MEDIA RELEASE

Coca-Cola shouts designated drivers free non-alcoholic drinks to get Kiwis home safe this summer

12 December 2016: Designated drivers will get to enjoy free non-alcoholic Coca-Cola drinks at selected venues in Auckland and Wellington over December and January thanks to a partnership between Coca-Cola NZ and selected hospitality groups including SkyCity in Auckland and the Wellington Hospitality Group (WHG).

The Designated Drivers programme has been developed in an effort to remind people about keeping safe on the roads, and to celebrate those that do, at such busy time of year.

Designated drivers simply TXT ‘driver’ to 345 to receive three mobile coupons to be redeemed for free Coca-Cola drinks at selected Auckland and Wellington bars and restaurants across each city. The vouchers can be used on a range of beverages from the Coca-Cola portfolio including Coke, Coke Zero and the Schweppes range.

“Drink-driving is an issue that can be avoided. We want to celebrate those designated drivers by shouting free Coca-Cola drinks to say thanks for keeping your mates safe while enjoying a Christmas party or night out,” says Pip Mearns, Coca-Cola Brand Manager.

Ministry of Transport statistics show alcohol and drugs were a contributing factor in 88 fatal traffic crashes in 2015, resulting in 90 deaths and 409 serious injuries[1]. Young drivers are more than twice as likely to have speed or alcohol as a contributing factor in a crash, compared with drivers over the age of 25[2].

“We’re grateful to have the support of our hospitality partners and the endorsement of Auckland Transport and Hospitality New Zealand to help bring this pilot programme to life,” Mearns says.

Auckland Transport Walking, Cycling and Safety Manager Kathryn King says, “We commend any campaign or messaging that encourages sober driving, particularly throughout the festive season.”

Coca-Cola’s Designated Drivers programme has run successfully in the UK for the past 10 years, but this is the first time it will be available to New Zealanders.

“We’re trialling Designated Drivers in Auckland and Wellington and if successful, we would like to see it rolled out more widely to bars, restaurants and other venues throughout the country,” Mearns says.

Participating Auckland outlets include:

SkyCity
· Orbit
· Aces Bar
· Twentyone
· Andy’s Burgers & Bar

Other
· The Empire
· The Bird Cage
· The Sweat Shop
· The Cav

Participating Wellington outlets include:

Participating Wellington Bars & Restaurants
· Brew'd Eastbourne
· Co-op whitby
· Coene's Provisions
· Gauchos
· Hopscotch
· Khandallah Trading Company
· Munchen
· One Fat Bird
· Sinbin
· The Borough
· Tokeyo
· Trentham Mess Hall Restaurant

How it works
· Designated drivers TXT “driver” to 345.
· Coca-Cola immediately TXT a link back to the sober driver’s phone. The link opens a Coca-Cola branded Designated Driver mobile site which gives them three mobile coupons to use for free drinks at the selected bar/venue.
· Sober drivers simply show their phones to the bartender who activates the coupon. Each coupon can only be used once.
· Coca-Cola advertisements running on digital outdoor sites will show the sober driver’s name, thanking them for being a driver for their mates that night.
· The sober driver can use the service again on another day.

Notes to editor
· People aged between 20 and 39 are responsible for 47% of all fatal alcohol-related crashes.
· Studies have shown that the risk of being involved in a crash increases as a driver’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) increases. At high blood alcohol levels, the risk rapidly increases.
· Alcohol/drugs, losing control and speed are the major contributing factors for young drivers involved in fatal crashes. Over half (53%) the young drivers involved in fatal crashes had alcohol/drugs and/or speed identified as factors contributing to the crash. Young drivers are over twice as likely to have speed or alcohol as a factor than drivers over the age of 25.
· In 2015 driver alcohol/drugs were a contributing factor1 in 88 fatal traffic crashes, 324 serious injury crashes and 850 minor injury crashes. These crashes resulted in 90 deaths, 409 serious injuries and 1,214 minor injuries.
· The total social cost of crashes involving alcohol/drugs was about $790 million; 21 percent of the social cost associated with all injury crashes.
· For every 100 alcohol or drug-impaired drivers or riders who died in road crashes, 47 of their passengers and 24 sober road users died with them.
· For the 3 years 2013-2015: Of the alcohol/drug-affected drivers in fatal crashes, 85 percent were male.
· On 1 December 2014, the legal breath alcohol limit for adult drivers (aged 20 and over) reduced from 400 to 250 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath, and the blood alcohol limit from 80 to 50 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood.

ends

[1] Ministry of Transport, Alcohol and drugs 2016
[2] Ministry of Transport, Young Drivers 2016

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