Irene Ntale has ended 2014 with a bang after penning a deal of yet to be disclosed amount of money to be the campaign ambassador for the Red Card to
Drunk Driving campaign which kicked off on Tuesday 16, 2014.
Ntale takes over the role from Uganda’s
legendary referee, Mr Charles Masembe, who served in the position since
December 2013.
Speaking to journalists at the unveiling ceremony of Ntale, Ms Charity Kiyemba,
the Corporate Relations and Legal Director UBL said the artiste was chosen as
the face of the campaign because of her reputable character, strong values, and
appeal to millions of Ugandans between 18 and 35 years of age.
“As the campaign ambassador, Irene will inspire Ugandans to drink responsibly
so that our roads are safe for all users, especially during the festive seasons
and Easter, when we celebrate the milestones in our lives,” she said.
The artiste has recorded a campaign song
which will amplify the awareness drive about responsible drinking in our society.
“The team at UBL has listened to the song and do believe many of you will enjoy
it when you listen to it,” Kiyemba said.
She also applauded Ms. Ntale for accepting
to be the new campaign ambassador and for the work she has done for the drive
so far. “We are optimistic that her efforts during the campaign will enable us
to achieve the campaign objectives,” she said.
UBL also recognized Mr Masembe for his
work during the 2013 Red Card campaign with a token of appreciation. Ms Kiyemba
noted that, “His position as the campaign ambassador contributed immensely to
the overall success of the campaign because he inspired many sports lovers who
frequent alcohol outlets and sports events to drink responsibly.” Masembe also
raised awareness about the campaign and challenged many Ugandans not to engage
in the bad habit of drunk driving.
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L-R Benon Mugumbya of Swangs Avenue, Irene Ntale and Ms Charity Kiyemba
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An evaluation carried out by our research
partner Millward Brown, shows that last year’s campaign created huge awareness
on responsible drinking. The research conducted among 300 people to measure the
impact of our communication on responsible drinking in Uganda showed that 87%
of the respondents interviewed, had seen or heard the “Don’t Drink and Drive”
responsible drinking message. Of the total number of people interviewed 132 people
agreed that responsible drinking is knowing your limits as well as not driving
while under the influence of alcohol.
In her remarks, Ms. Ntale commended UBL
for appointing her as the campaign ambassador of the Red Card to Drunk Driving
campaign. “I thank Uganda Breweries Limited for putting its trust in me as an
advocate for responsible drinking and road safety in Uganda.
“Today, I too pledge not to drink and drive and I urge all of you; my fans, my
colleagues in the industry and my fellow citizens, drink responsibly. Think
about the consequences of your actions before you make that decision that could
ruin your family, your festive mood and most importantly, your life,” Ntale
said.
Over the last seven years, UBL and its partners, have carried out responsible
drinking campaigns to increase awareness around responsible consumption of
alcohol and reduce harm or abuse of its products.
