In July 2023, Dover Youth to Youth, a proactive after-school drug prevention program supported by the Dover Police Department and Wentworth-Douglass Hospital, embarked on a significant campaign to combat alcohol marketing strategies targeting youth. This initiative, which was launched with a rally and press conference in downtown Dover, has since made a considerable impact in raising awareness about alcohol products appealing to younger demographics.

The campaign’s resonant theme, “Hey, big alcohol! Dress up is for kids!”, encapsulates the group’s concerns about the alcohol industry’s marketing tactics. Central to their argument is the issue of alcoholic beverages featuring candy and fruity flavours, which they believe minimizes the perceived risks of alcohol among underage individuals. The SLUSHIE product from Downeast, for example, which mimics an icee in appearance and tastes sweet like candy, was highlighted as a concerning example.

A critical point of the campaign was the critique of alcohol packaging designed to attract children and teenagers. The group cited Concord Brewing Company’s beer cans adorned with imagery from the children’s animated movie “Finding Nemo,” which includes an interactive element similar to children’s games. Despite efforts to communicate with Concord Brewing Company, including two letters, Dover Youth to Youth received no response.

The campaign also targeted Smuttynose brewery for incorporating the UNH Wildcats team mascot and the university’s shield logo on their beer, potentially glorifying the college drinking culture among minors.

Additionally, Dover Youth to Youth expressed concerns over alcoholic versions of beverages traditionally consumed by children, such as Simply Lemonade, AriZona iced tea, Vita Coco, Bang energy drink, and Sunny D. The group mainly focused on the Boston Beer Co.’s partnership with Pepsi to create an alcoholic Mountain Dew variant, actively working to prevent its sale in New Hampshire.

Since the campaign’s launch, Dover Youth to Youth has sought to increase community awareness of the alcohol industry’s marketing strategies, which the group argues aim to portray their products as harmless to children and teenagers. The group calls for alcohol companies to adopt more responsible practices, including halting targeted advertising to youth, eliminating candy flavourings, avoiding kid-friendly designs, and not creating products that appeal to young consumers.

Reflecting on the campaign’s personal relevance, Dover Youth to Youth member and sixth-grader Maggie Elliott said, “I feel like Sunny D vodka is targeting me and my friends because it used to be a kid drink, and now they put alcohol in it.”

The campaign was timed with Dover Youth to Youth’s summer training program, where nearly 40 student members learned to address substance misuse issues. Since July, the organization has continued its efforts through various projects, including radio and video PSAs, presentations, and advocacy activities, sustaining its commitment to this vital cause.

Learn more about Dover Youth to Youth (USA, July 2023)