By Savannah Stewart
Riding on a successful -2024 launch of The MADD Network, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) continues to drive change in eliminating impaired driving across the United States. The MADD Network partners with brands across various industries – including insurance companies, alcohol brands, and sports leagues – to establish educational opportunities about impaired driving and uplift stories to fight the public health crisis.
Diageo, a global force in the alcohol beverage business with leading brands such as Crown Royal, Johnnie Walker, and Smirnoff, joined The MADD Network in 2024, collaborating alongside MADD, Uber Technologies, Inc., and the National Football League (NFL) to initiate “Take a Minute. Make a Plan“. Never Drive Impaired,” a campaign reminding sports fans to make a plan that avoids impaired driving amid football games and other high-energy social experiences. In December alone, over one million safe rides were redeemed via Uber through “Take a Minute. Make a Plan.”
Through fostered opportunities and connections in The MADD Network, Diageo can better tailor its messaging around impaired driving to consumers.
“As we look at the broad landscape of all the things around responsibility, the alarm bells go off around drunk driving,” said Ana Fitzgibbons, Director of Alcohol Responsibility at Diageo.
Fitzgibbons said evaluating Diageo’s role in becoming a part of larger conversations surrounding impaired driving meant examining crucial variables like responsibility and moderation in the alcohol beverage space. With MADD’s renewed leadership, Diageo saw an opportunity to find common ground and prove their power to shift society’s culture and behavior away from drunk driving.
Opportunities to display MADD and Diageo’s partnership to the public, give their joint mission both meaning and credibility. In April the two companies, along with Responsibilty.org, gathered in Hartford, Connecticut, for a panel to discuss the state of drunk driving and best methods to reduce alcohol misuse. Fitzgibbons said the event gave Diageo and MADD’s partnership “more arms and legs” to spark change together.
As Diageo looks to evolve with The MADD Network, it aims to maintain its influence as an advocate for safe driving practices in a relevant, rapidly growing sports industry.
“Whether [fans are] excited about kick-off, they’re going to watch a game, or who they’re going to be with, interrupting that journey constantly prompts people to make a plan,” Fitzgibbons said.
But its work doesn’t stop there. Diageo is researching other modes of transportation, like Metro, Subway and bus systems, that people can consider in their plans. Fitzgibbons said Diageo can’t solve infrastructure problems, but with the help of resources like The MADD Network, it can explore creative ways to encourage people to plan ahead.
Taking action among communities and consumers allows Diageo to find an alignment in philosophies and enact tangible change within The MADD Network. The network opens the door for its members to grow their visibility through a network of supporters, generate effective societal impacts, and appeal to consumers — all in an effort to increase awareness about and end impaired driving.
