’Free the Bowl from Big Al’ Video Contest

SAN RAFAEL, CA – Marin Institute has launched its second annual, nationwide anti-alcohol-advertising contest, FREE the BOWL™. This year’s theme is to “Free the Bowl from Big Al,” (a.k.a Big Alcohol), as youth contestants will identify where they see the negative influences of Big Al in their lives.

The contest for youth and young adults from ages 10 to 25 seeks original anti-alcohol-ads 30 to 60 seconds long to counter excessive alcohol advertising and marketing. The alcohol industry watchdog launched the contest at www.FreeTheBowl.com today and will use the site as well as YouTube to showcase video entries.  The contest deadline is January 25, 2010, two weeks before the Super Bowl, the biggest alcohol advertising and inebriation day of the year. This year groups may compete, such as high school or college classes.

“Day after day, year after year, youth and young adults are bombarded and harmed by Big Alcohol,” stated Michael Scippa, advocacy director at Marin Institute. “This year’s contest asks for help identifying “Big Al’s” many faces across the country, especially those that encourage underage drinking. We’re challenging young filmmakers to show us what they think Big Al looks like, where they see Big Al, and how Big Al harms them, their friends and families.”

The latest research estimates that 85,000 American deaths are caused by alcohol consumption annually while the economic costs exceed $220 billion. Meanwhile, 10.7 million underage youth drink alcohol annually and 7.2 million binge drink. As a result, 5,000 underage drinkers die and hundreds of thousands more suffer alcohol-fueled rapes, sexual assaults and other injuries.

Between 2001 and 2007, Big Alcohol (the global beer, wine and spirits companies) spent $6.6 billion to place more than 2 million alcohol ads on television. This year, predominantly foreign-based Big Alcohol corporations will spend half a billion dollars to advertise their products during TV sports programs alone. These programs typically have the largest youth ad viewing audience of any type of programming with alcohol ads.  It’s no secret that Big Alcohol experiences its largest overall sales increase during the two-week period surrounding the Super Bowl.

“Big Al’s ads significantly influence youth and adults, creating an environment that promotes unhealthy consumption,” said Scippa. “That’s why Marin Institute is excited to host FreeTheBowl.com as a fun channel to protest oppressive alcohol ads.”

FREE the BOWL™ From Big Al video contest winners will be announced on February 4, 2010, at a premiere event at the Christopher B. Smith Film Center in San Rafael, California. The deadline for entries is January 26, 2009. Prizes include Apple MacBook Pros, iPod Docking Stations and Flip Mino HD Cameras. For additional information, please visit www.FreeTheBowl.com.