Timmy Mallett joins Diageo’s mental health campaign for men
Diageo has called on TV presenter Timmy Mallett for its latest wellbeing initiative for older men, which encourages chats via the power of the public bench.
The Men on a Mission campaign, created by Diageo’s DrinkIQ platform and the UK Men’s Sheds Association (UKMSA), is centred on promoting alcohol in moderation for men aged over 50, who are seen as the group most likely to drink at excess.
The campaign previously featured boxer Tony Bellew.
In its latest initiative, titled Mission: Shoulder to Shoulder, the campaign has highlighted the power public benches have in getting people talking with benches seeing 5.5 conversations daily, 38.5 weekly, and more than 2,002 yearly.
Men’s Sheds, which creates workshop groups around the UK (named Men’s Sheds) to bring people together, typically over the age of 50, found two in five people wouldn’t start a conversation or share a problem with someone they didn’t know, according to data from a DrinkIQ poll.
Park benches are seen as conversation sparkers, with the organisation creating 100 buddy benches nationally, potentially facilitating 200,200 conversations per year.
Black Park Shed in Buckinghamshire has created its bench with the help of Timmy Mallett, who is the campaign ambassador.
Mallett said: “We need to get people talking. If you put two men in a room and ask them to have a deep and meaningful conversation, they might scarper. But if you put them at a work bench, shoulder to shoulder, you often get work-bench buddies. They might not fix much, or build much, but they’ll get chatting, and those conversations can brighten a day – or even change a life.”
“So, it’s an absolute pleasure to have put Mallett’s mallet to work on building one of these benches. I hope our bench sparks life-changing conversation, even if I caused a bit of mischief for my fellow Shedders as we put it together. My rogue bench build, Dame Judy Bench, isn’t quite as professional as theirs.”
Men on a Mission
The Men on a Mission campaign was launched after data revealed that nearly one in five men (22%) aged 50-75 hardly ever, or never, think about their mental wellbeing.
Elisabeth Rochford, DrinkIQ ambassador, said: “Older men consume more alcohol than any other cohort, with around four in 10 men between the ages of 55 and 74 drinking more than the chief medical officer’s ‘low risk’ guideline of 14 units per week.
“That level of consumption, which is characterised by more frequent consumption than other age groups, doesn’t always happen in a vacuum, but rather because of a vacuum created by life-stage and age-related factors such as retirement, empty-nesting, separation or bereavement.
“Men’s Sheds are a demonstration of how social community outlets can provide a different option for men in this age bracket. DrinkIQ is delighted to be working with the UKMSA to support the incredible work of Shedders and value of Sheds.”
Through DrinkIQ, Diageo has co-created alcohol moderation workshops with the UKMSA.
People who have attended the workshops have since reported that their alcohol use had decreased or stopped.
UKMSA CEO Caroline Ellis added: “The social connection that Sheds provide helps give a sense of purpose, with myriad related benefits, notably including reduced alcohol use. That’s why we’ve partnered with DrinkIQ, to help Shedders and older men more widely see the power of community spaces like Men’s Sheds.
“Swapping the barstool for a Shed – or a Mission: Shoulder to Shoulder bench – a few days a week can improve wellbeing for the better.”
Earlier this year, Nuno Teles, formerly managing director of Diageo Great Britain and now CEO of the company’s Mexico and America business, spoke out on the ‘challenging reality’ of harmful drinking in an op-ed to The Spirits Business.
This week, Diageo has also built a cross-industry network to track how socialising and alcohol consumption is changing.
The campaign video with Mallett is available to watch below.
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