Fighting the good fight

Modern Brewery Age, March 16, 1992

John Gavin leads the Century Council in the battle against alcohol abuse

The Century Council is an organization developed to bring the alcoholic beverage industry into the fight against alcohol abuse. Drawing inspiration from the United Kingdom's successful Portman Group, the Century Council has drawn strong support from U.S. wineries and distilleries. The Council has received a somewhat cooler reception from the brewing industry, although it does count the Stroh Brewery Co. and the Guinness Import Co. among its subscribers. The organization is headed by John Gavin, former U.S. ambassador to Mexico. Prior to joining the Century Council, Gavin enjoyed a long and distinguished career in international business and diplomacy. Gavin graduated from Standford University, and served as an officer in the U.S. Navy from 1952 to 1955. Gavin served as U.S. advisor to the secretary general of the Organization of American States from 1961 to 1974, and as U.S. Ambassador to Mexico from 1981 to 1986.

MBA: What has motivated you to join the fight against alcohol abuse, Mr Gavin?

JG: I saw it as a great challenge, and a great opportunity to help do some good.

I also had some personal reasons. I know very few families that have not been visited by alcoholism. Mine certainly was. So I was sympathetic, if you will, on this issue.

Lastly, I was an aide to an admiral, a wonderful man who became a surrogate father to me, and he had a son killed who was commissioned on the dame day I was, by a drunken driver, while he was on his honeymoon in Maryland. I know what that family went through. I know their suffering, because I went through it myself, with them.

I think that this is the kind of issue that should attract our attention. I think it should have everybody's attention. That's part of our copy, you know. You've seen it in our ads. We say, |It's a very simple problem to solve, all it takes is everybody.' Of course, that's what makes it so difficult, because it does take everybody.

MBA: Why has the brewing industry proven resistant to the concept of the Century Council?

JG: Well, not everyone in the brewing industry has. Admittedly, several of the major players have, but we do count the Stroh Brewery Co. among our subscribers, and we do have some importers.

In addition, I recently addressed the Brewer's Association of America (BAA), and afterward a number of people came up and expressed interest in joining. We expect to make presentations to some of these regional breweries in the very near future, and we hope that they will join the council.

MBA: Why have the major players in the brewing industry refrained from joining?

JG: Well, I think that's a question that you really ought to direct to them.

MBA: You haven't heard anything from them on that score?

JG: Well, we have had contact with Anheuser-Busch, Miller and Coors. We have gone to St. Louis, Milwaukee and Golden, and we'd like to go back at some time with a review of what we're doing and what we're trying to accomplish, and to answer any questions that they might have.

MBA: You mentioned in your address to the BAA that the Council's marketing code had been reviewed by the major brewers.

JG: Yes, it was.

MBA: Did they sign off on it, at least initially?

JG: When we first started in this process in 1990, we had a representative from the Miller Brewing Co. on our executive committee. I think that's well known, so I'm not talking out of school. We also had contact with representative of Anheuser-Busch in an informative sense, and attorneys from A-B formed part of the legal committee review of our code. So I think we can say they were involved, since their attorneys were part of the process.

MBA: So you don't think that any portion of the code of responsible marketing could be unacceptable to them?

JG: Well, my own feeling, and that of observers of this industry, is that it should not be. The code that we have developed is a code of responsible marketing and advertising practices, and i underline marketing because it has that particular aspect which I believe the other codes for the trade associations do not.

The code covers all three segments of the industry as well. We made sure that everyone's concerns were accounted for. Nothing in the Council's code is specifically aimed at television, where beer is the predominant advertiser from the licensed beverage sector, and where wine and coolers are also typically advertised.

The code's provisions cover all forms of advertising and marketing, but are not specifically aimed at any one sector or any one product. I think if you look at it, you'll see that observation is correct.

MBA: One of the industry trade papers has asserted that some provisions are aimed specifically at the brewing industry. Is that erroneous?

JG: I respectfully suggest that anyone who makes that kind of statement has not carefully reviewed the code. I invite them to do so.

MBA: In your view, is the brewing industry using the equivalency issue as a stalking horse for their opposition to the Century Council?