Liquor-industry campaign targets underage drinking

Posted 7:11AM on Friday 26th July 2002 ( 23 years ago )

SAVANNAH - Too young to remember who shot J.R.? Then you're probably too young to drink, according to a distilling-industry campaign aimed at underage drinking. The Century Council, along with law enforcement officials and retailers, launched the campaign in Savannah at an area liquor store Thursday. Officials are hoping the use of dry humor and a twist of pop culture will get the message across. The campaign features popular movies, songs and trends from the 1980's. ``It's designed to make people be taken aback,'' said Tommy Hooper, of The Century Council, a national, nonprofit organization funded by the country's leading beverage distillers. ``While some are funny they all have a message.'' For those under 21, the message is: Don't buy alcohol. For retailers, it's: Don't sell to minors. ``(The goal) is to save lives, especially those of young people,'' Hooper said. The Century Council, based in Washington, D.C., has been distributing the messages for nearly two years. The council's campaign has been introduced in 48 cities and more than a million pieces of campaign literature have circulated. At Thursday' presentation in Savannah, posters were propped atop cases of Beefeater and Fris Vodka. Some of the signs read: ``If you think a turntable is a piece of furniture, prepare to be carded.'' About 20 to 30 percent of the DUI arrests made by local police involve underage drinkers, Sgt. Mike Nichols said. ``If they can stop them at the point of sale, we don't have to deal with them on the street,'' he said. Chuck Fountain, manager of the Habersham Beverage Warehouse, said the campaign will help catch the attention of both younger generations and older adults like him. He still recalls the night J.R. Ewing was shot on the popular 80s-television show, 'Dallas.' ``I remember the big deal but I don't remember who it was,'' Fountain said.

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