"Keep It Real - Don't Drink!" Campaign to Reduce Underage Drinking

The genesis for the Keep It Real-Dont Drink Internet/Video contest came from work I was doing at Pepperdine University in the area of educational technology. The idea is that students really learn the message when they are involved in designing the message. In this case, the goal is to reduce underage drinking. This project asks high school students to reflect on their experiences, then be creative in their use of new video technology to create a :30 public service announcement encouraging their peers to Keep It Real-Dont Drink. Arthur Rouse January 5, 2005

(PRWEB) January 8, 2005 -- The Internet comes into play as a grassroots platform for community action. We created a Web site, www.keep-it-real.us, where the rules for the contest were posted (and by the way, there werent many rules!). The students had several weeks to think about what they might produce, find access to tools, then design, script, shoot and edit a :30 public service announcement. On a specific date, all the entries were posted to the site for the world to see. Next, the public is encouraged to vote (during a one week voting period) for their favorite commercial and the winner will be played through the Super Bowl period on Insights MTV, ESPN and Comedy Channel as well as local broadcast affiliates.

Our intention is to raise awareness of the issue of underage drinking and to encourage young adults to reflect on their feelings and experiences then encourage their friends to Keep It Real-Dont Drink. These videos represent the creative power of our civic leaders of tomorrow. Our secondary intention is to showcase the creative ability of these young filmmakers, clearly obvious when you look at the 30+ entries.

A civic engagement project like this is made possible through collaboration. Arthur Rouse, Erica Thomas, Kiley Lane and the staff of Video Editing Services (www.veslex.com) have been totally immersed and I am grateful for the participation of Rhonda Bartlett of RB Design Studio, LLC, (www.rbdesignstudio.com) for the Website construction, Mick Jeffries for the poster art, Lee Thomas for the photography, Charlotte Caldwell of Wideeyed E-media (www.wideeyed.com) for the Web hosting, Doug Gabbert of Jordan Chiles Advertising for the logo and project coordinators Marianne Blodgett, Kay Dignan, Lynsey Sugarman, and Topsy Staten. Please check the home page for the sponsor list including KY-ASAP and the Mayors Alliance on Substance Abuse Prevention with a special thank you to Central Baptist Hospital. A tip of the hat goes to Sue Talley and Linda Polin at Pepperdine.

Please enjoy all the entries on the site and look for Keep It Real-Dont Drink on the air.

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