NORWALK, Conn., Sept. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Diageo, the world's leading spirits, wine and beer company, is proud to support national events being held throughout the week across the country in recognition of "We Don't Serve Teens Week," September 10-15, a program dedicated to curbing underage drinking by reminding adults that providing alcohol to teens is unsafe, illegal and irresponsible. Unveiled in October, the "We Don't Serve Teens" campaign was created by the federal government and supported by The Century Council, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to fighting drunk driving and underage drinking, to educate adults on how to reduce teen access to alcohol.
Elements of the campaign include a television public service announcement (PSA), print ad, lapel pins, cold case stickers, register signs and ceiling danglers in English and Spanish, distributed to retailers across the country for on-premise display. This week, several "We Don't Serve Teen" events are being held across the country as lawmakers, industry members, parents and government officials join together to combat underage drinking.
"As we begin a new school year, parents and other adults need to recognize the critical role they play in helping children make safe and responsible decisions," said Guy L. Smith, Executive Vice President, Diageo North America. "As part of our larger commitment to fighting underage drinking, Diageo proudly supports the national launch of this important campaign which we hope will resonate in communities across the country."
The Charmer-Sunbelt Group, a leading wine and spirits distributor, also joins Diageo in its support of "We Don't Serve Teens Week."
"Responsibility is a family matter. It is vitally important that parents talk to their kids about not drinking," said Brian Fischer, Vice President, Community Relations for Charmer-Sunbelt Group. "We are proud to support 'We Don't Serve Teens Week,'" he added.
Supporting the national launch of this campaign is one important part of Diageo's efforts to promote responsible drinking. For the past two years, Diageo has worked with legislators throughout the country to introduce bills aimed at reducing underage drinking by holding adults responsible for supplying alcohol to minors. With Diageo's help, the Administrative Driver's License Revocation legislation has been introduced in 24 states and has passed in seven.
Research commissioned by The Century Council reveals that 65% of underage youth who drink obtain alcohol from family and friends. Furthermore, according to a recent poll conducted by independent research firm FD, 4 out of 5 people believe adults should be punished if they serve alcohol to those who are not their own children.
Diageo is supporting the following "We Don't Serve Teen" events this week: -- Monday, September 10, 2007, 10:30am - Atlanta, Georgia -- Monday, September 10, 2007, 10am - Wauwatosa, Wisconsin -- Wednesday, September 12, 2007, 10am - East Providence, Rhode Island -- Wednesday, September 12, 2007, 10am - Fairview Park, Ohio -- Wednesday, September 12, 2007, 10am - St. Louis, Missouri -- Wednesday, September 12, 2007, 11am - Fort Collins, Colorado -- Wednesday, September 12, 2007, 2pm - Akron, Ohio -- Thursday, September 13, 2007, 2pm - Indianapolis, Indiana -- Friday, September 14, 2007, 9:30am - Huntington Park, California -- Friday, September 14, 2007, 10am - Henderson, Nevada -- Friday, September 14, 2007, 10am - Olathe, Kansas
Diageo is a founding member of The Century Council and supports a number of the organization's educational programs designed to combat drunk driving and underage drinking. The Century Council also works with a broad array of education and prevention professionals on alcohol issues.
About Diageo
Diageo (Dee-AH-Gee-O) is the world's leading premium drinks business with an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across spirits, wines, and beer categories. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Guinness, Smirnoff, J&B, Baileys, Cuervo, Tanqueray, Captain Morgan, Crown Royal, Beaulieu Vineyard and Sterling Vineyards wines.
Diageo is a global company, trading in more than 180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange and the London Stock Exchange (DGE). For more information about Diageo, its people, brands, and performance, visit us at http://www.diageo.com/.
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