About the Strategy

The Domino Strategy™ is a harm reduction, social marketing campaign that encourages the public to pay attention to the size, content and amount of alcohol they consume each time they drink. Furthermore, the Strategy recommends that individuals follow research-based responsible drinking guidelines defined by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

About the Strategy

• The Domino Strategy is built on the same framework as other national harm reduction models that have been designed to reduce health-related issues like tobacco use, heart disease and obesity.

• The Strategy provides clarity by defining specific behaviors that will help people who drink alcohol, reduce their risk of harming themselves or others.

• It teaches people how to drink responsibly, which is no less important than conversations about how to keep your blood pressure in check or how to lose weight.

The Domino Strategy Has Five Goals

1. Educate people regarding the importance of counting their drinks.

2. Help people understand what constitutes a “standard” drink.

3. Help people pay attention to the content of their drink.

4. Define responsible drinking.

5. Help people make the connection between counting drinks and reducing personal risk (including second-hand and binge drinking effects).

The Domino Strategy is Based on Research

• The responsible drinking guidelines are based on 15 years of research conducted by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

• They are supported by the 2010 report on Dietary Guidelines for Americans put out by the Dept. of Health and Human Services.

• They have also been integrated into communications and publications put out by the American Cancer Society, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the American Medical Association.

Target Audience

Primary Target Audience – 18-24 year olds.

Secondary Target Audience – Adults 25 and older.

The Domino Strategy UtilizesA Three-Pronged Approach

The Domino Strategy is Based on Evidence

• Reduce underage drinking by 81%

• Cut DUIs by 86%

• Increase the average age of offenders from 19 to 22 years old.

• Reduce the average BAC for incidents from 0.10 to 0.08

Through a two-year comprehensive approach, F.E. Warren Air Force basewas able to:

Source: F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Cheyenne, Wyoming, 2005.

Key Considerations

• Chaplins

• Commanders

• Sargents

Key Considerations

3. Relate the idea of norming into your media campaign.

Set expectations in clear, defined terms. You must actually teach what is responsible. Generic slogans such as “Drink responsibly” or “Friends don’t let friends drive drunk” will not work.

4. Avoid making your campaign amoral effort. Strategies should be based on science and safety, not morality. Young people will turn a deaf ear if they suspect your underlying motivation is some form of neoprohibitionism.

Key Considerations

5. Avoid the lure of media campaigns in isolation.

Media campaigns are an essential part of culture change, but they must be part of a comprehensive, integrated effort, including training.

6. Provide young people with safe alternatives.

Always include your target audience in decision making – ask them what they like to do, where they like to go. F.E. Warren used activities that ranged from pizza parties and midnight basketball to pinball, movie and cartoon fests, club nights with DJs and group outings off-base.

Keys to Implementation

• Command leadership support

• Integration of a three-pronged approach

• Collaboration among agencies and command leadership that make up the military base and deployment points.

• Sustain your effort by embedding communications/messages into the culture of your community over time.

• Implementation strategy/communications plan

• Training and technical assistance