Drinking and driving can have serious consequences for anyone. But for sailors in the U.S. Navy caught driving under the influence, the career ramifications are much worse. A sailor could suffer financially, forgo advancement, or even lose their job they worked years to attain.
To change the Navy’s deep-seated drinking culture, leaders at the Navy Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention (NADAP) office knew they needed to up their game and turned to Booz Allen to re-invigorate alcohol abuse prevention efforts. Starting in 2013, we developed and implemented a comprehensive social marketing campaign called “Keep What You’ve Earned”—including a mobile app, public service announcement (PSA) videos, and action-oriented information to encourage sailors to drink responsibly.
Our human-focused approach has proven to be successful: Since the 2013 campaign launch, about 75 percent of sailors across the Navy are aware of the new program, according to NADAP. What’s more, there’s been a real change in sailor behavior, including a 51 percent decrease in driving under the influence charges immediately following campaign launch, and a 67 percent increase in friends or coworkers finding a safe ride home.
