Grey London wins brief warning of ‘drinking while pregnant’ dangers

Grey London has been appointed to launch a campaign that will raise awareness of the dangers of drinking alcohol during pregnancy. The agency won the brief from the National Organisation on Foetal Alcohol Syndrome UK without a pitch.

The campaign, which will break in the autumn across TV, print and outdoor, will focus on Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs), which can include birth defects, restricted-growth facial abnormalities and learning and behavioural disorders.

Nicola Mendelsohn, de-puty chairman of Grey London, says: “This is an incredibly pertinent subject at the moment. There is clearly still a lack of awareness about the potential risks and I believe the work we create will have a societal change.”

The campaign comes as pressure mounts for label warnings to be introduced on alcohol bottles highlighting the risks of prenatal drinking (MW May 24). NOFAS-UK is campaigning for the introduction of compulsory labeling on bottles, working with Labour peer Lord Mitchell.

The Department of Health (DoH) is understood to be working on plans for a voluntary code although it is thought to have stalled due to disagreements between drink companies and the DoH.

Ofcom tightened the rules governing alcohol advertising two years ago, primarily in the area of ads linking alcohol with sexual success.

Figures from the World Health Organisation show that FASDs affect one in every hundred live births.