Friday, August 12, 2011

Woozers Wade In To Wugby

It must be tough...working at the Alcohol Advisory Council.
Does ALAC's logo look like
a beer bottle cap to you?
After all, with NZ's liking for booze, if you raise your head above the parapet on this subject, you're sure as hell gonna get it shot at! So I was a bit surprised to hear the good folk at Woozer Inc. ('Our mission is to lead a change in NZ's drinking culture') expressing concern about a calendar for junior rugby...Ready!
The fundraising calendar features nude North Otago rugby players...Aim!
The buff players are surrounded (and their 'bits' hidden) by the product of the team's sponsor, Speight's Beer...FIRE!
The $20 calendars are a first for the North Otago Rugby Union, which says it's all in fun and people understand it's for a good cause. Well, most people that is...except Woozer Inc.
Chief Abstainer Gerard Vaughan questions whether the Union considered the impact on young people, and he also questions the prominence of alcohol: "The photos looked like a low-cost Speight's beer promotion rather than a sporting club fundraiser." OMG! You mean...*whispers*...product placement??? Herr-RUMPH!!!
Interesting that the *shock*horror*probe* offending calendar has been out for a month - without a squeak from Woozer Inc., until a journalist asked for their opinion of it!
Mr Vaughan claims research shows advertising and other promotions influence the drinking decisions of young people: "This provides strong evidence that young people should not be exposed to alcohol advertising, sales promotions and sponsorship."
And so, in these tough financial times, Woozer Inc. has put its money where its mouth is...and will now sponsor every single junior rugby club in this country! Riiiiiiiiiiiiiigggghhhhtttt!!!

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