The ‘No Regret Friday’ campaign is the next step in SAB’s highly successful 'Reality Check' advertising campaign which was launched in 2009.

With a focus on the issue of drinking and driving, SAB’s 'No Regret Friday' initiative aims to start a movement of South Africans, including high profile celebrities, who are committed to drinking responsibly and who are determined to encourage others to do the same.

SAB’s ‘Regret Nothing’ ambassadors include Bafana Bafana coach, Pitso Mosimane; Springbok flank and Stormers captain, Schalk Burger; as well as 5FM DJ and Idols judge, Gareth Cliff; and Caro Smit, from South Africans Against Drunk Driving. They will encourage South Africans to share their stories and generate discussion about the dangers of drinking and driving through the 'No Regret Friday' campaign.

SAB Corporate Affairs and Transformation executive director, Vincent Maphai, says: “When it comes to drinking and driving, SAB is uncompromising. We feel the time has come to change both perceptions and behaviour when it comes to irresponsible drinking.”

While the focus will be on encouraging South Africans to commit to drinking responsibly, this will apply particularly over the weekend when research shows the majority of irresponsible drinking takes place. A recent Ipsos Markinor survey found that the majority of people who drink do so over the weekend, with over 91% drinking on Saturdays. SAB’s 'No Regret Friday” initiative involves a call to action for South Africans to think about their behaviour every Friday just before the weekend starts.

SAB will remind consumers to behave responsibly through its 'No Regret Friday' website. The website contains personal accounts by real people who have been adversely affected by drinking and driving, ‘drinking and driving’ facts, as well as tips on how to get home safely in the event of being over the legal limit.

Melissa Attree, who worked with Black River FC on the campaign, said it was important to tap into social media as it had the potential to encourage an even bigger discussion on drinking and driving. ”Drinking and driving is a very concerning and topical issue. Social media is a great way for people to share their stories and to learn from others’ mistakes,” said Attree. "Live life to the fullest but ‘Regret Nothing’."

SAB’s extensive ‘No Regret Friday’ campaign will afford users the online space to share their personal accounts and to read up on statistics about drinking and driving. The purpose of the community is to bring together like-minded South Africans in order to create a community of people who share the same goal: to regret nothing.

Through Twitter, SAB and its ‘No Regret Friday’ ambassadors will encourage debate through the #NoRegretFriday hashtag. The ‘Regret Nothing’ theme will be further augmented by 30 second live reads as well as 30 second recorded spots.

In 2009, SAB launched a bold public awareness campaign to counter prevailing alcohol abuse amongst South African drinkers as part of a multi-faceted initiative to combat alcohol abuse in South Africa. Created primarily as a national public education campaign, ‘reality check’ presented a range of scenarios and perceptions, each offering a ‘reality check’ on the ramifications of various inconsiderate and short-sighted views and activities associated with irresponsible alcohol consumption.

Dr Maphai said: “We have reaped significant rewards since the advent of our initial Reality Check campaign in 2009 but the time has come to evolve our messaging by calling consumers to action.”

Whilst the refreshed Reality Check campaign is intended to impact public awareness, perceptions and behaviours, SAB is also driving a series of programmes and initiatives, including leveraging existing partnerships with initiatives aimed at tackling Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS).

“We believe that through effective partnerships, better enforcement and sustained communication, we can help to address many of the problems associated with alcohol abuse,” Maphai said.

Share your own story, or simply pledge your support for the 'No Regret Friday' movement by visiting www.noregretfriday.co.za/pledge/ and encourage your friends to do the same.

Visit www.noregretfriday.co.za and join the revolution against drinking and driving.