How Advertising Did What the Law Is Only Now Catching Up With

With the UK gearing up to introduce tougher drink-driving limits, the direction of travel is obvious. If you’re driving, you shouldn’t be drinking anything at all: the government is proposing dropping the threshold from 35mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath to 22mcg - the first change since 1967.

So the law is finally catching up with a reality that has been clear for years: alcohol and cars don’t mix and can have tragic consequences.

What’s interesting is how little cultural resistance there is to that idea. That’s not because drivers have suddenly become more responsible, but because advertising did the work first, albeit in ways that look slightly archaic in the earliest examples compared to the more hard-hitting approach that followed.

For decades, anti-drink-drive campaigns has stripped away the grey areas - the “one for the road”, the short journey, the false confidence - and replaced them with something far less negotiable: consequence. If the new proposals come into force then it's likely we'll see more powerful messages come into effect.

The most memorable campaigns haven't been as much about soft persuasion or nudge theory as the earliest examples often were. Instead they were blunt, often uncomfortable, and relentlessly consistent. The Think! strategy made drink (and drug) driving shameful even before it became illegal to drink at lower limits, and socially unacceptable long before enforcement caught up.

As the law tightens, these ads and the agencies behind them deserve credit - this is not just a nostalgic trip down memory lane, but proof that when advertising commits to behaviour change it can move faster and further than legislation ever will.

1964 - 'Office Party'

This first example is very much of its time and place as evident by its endline: 'If he's been drinking, don't let him drive... don't ask a man to drink and drive'.

1982 - 'Stupid Git'

This film features a youthful John Altman. Altman went on to earn fame as “Nasty” Nick Cotton in the BBC soap opera EastEnders.

1983 - 'Fancy A Jar? Forget The Car'

Gillian Taylforth, another EastEnders star (who would subsequently find herself in trouble for altogether different motor-related activities) featured in this campaign that warns drivers that police can test at the roadside for alcohol using breathalysers. It is a step away from the usual shock tactics, focusing instead on how new technology can catch offenders.

1988 - 'The Fireman's Story'

Featuring actor Ken Stott playing a fireman who after returning to the fire station from a call, describes how he “and the new lad” attended the scene of an accident caused by a drink driver, where a woman was killed.

1990 - 'Kathy'

Directed by Tony Kaye, this is probably the most well-known and most referenced drink driving ad. A lingering close-up of a troubled young girl (known as Kathy), is accompanied by an offscreen argument between her mother and father, who she is yelling at for killing a young boy whilst he was drink driving.

1994 - 'Summertime'

While Christmas is traditionally a time that potential drink drivers are targeted, this spot used the Mungo Jerry to hit to call out those who were tempted to enjoy a summer drink and a drive.

2000 - 'Mistletoe & Wine'

The Government turned to another singer - Cliff Richard - for this ad that returns to the theme of Christmas drink driving.

2013 - 'Pub Loo Shocker'

This Department for Transport spot returned to scare tactics to grab the attention of young men. It shows the shocked reaction of three men in a pub toilet when a mannequin’s head smashes through the mirror, accompanied by road-crash sound effects.

2014 - 'Think! Fiftieth Anniversary'

This spot to mark the 50th anniversary of drink driving ads recognised the progress that’s been made, while reminding people that the dangers of drink driving are still as real as they have always been. It juxtaposed Kool and the Gang’s cheery 'Celebration' song with a dramatic crash scene and the sequence of events that follow, reminding people that there are still too many people being killed on our roads by drink drivers.

2021 - 'Mates For Life'

In a change of tack this spot used humour to show why friends shouldn’t let other friends drink and drive. It appealed to humour, positivity, and friendship when speaking to the young men who are most at risk when it comes to drink-driving.

2024 - 'Drink a Little. Risk a Lot'

This spot tackled the dangerous misconception that driving after consuming a small amount of alcohol is safe. The campaign used striking visuals by British illustrator Tim McDonagh, whose bold, graphic style - heavily influenced by old comics, gig posters, and tattoos - aimed to capture the attention of 17-24-year-old men in their social spaces.