Review of the Alcohol Sponsorship Guidlines for Scotland

Appendix B - Phase Two Topic Guides

Topic guide - Industry

Introduction

• Introduce self and Ipsos MORI
• Explain purpose of research: Ipsos MORI is conducting a review of the Alcohol Sponsorship Guidelines for Scotland, on behalf of the Scottish Government Alcohol Industry Partnership. A couple of weeks ago we sent you a form on which to record your company's sponsorship activities. Thank you very much again for taking the time to complete the form; it is much appreciated. We are now seeking to build on the understanding we gained in that exercise by conducting these more in depth interviews with a selection of people who completed the form. The interviews will focus in more detail on awareness and views of the Guidelines, and what is being done by your company to implement them. Please rest assured that this is not a test and you are not in any way being judged on compliance - we just need to get an accurate picture of where the industry currently is in respect of the Guidelines and what if anything the Scottish Government Alcohol Industry Partnership could be doing to improve the guidelines, ensuring that they remain fit for purpose.
• Explain the interview should take around 45 minutes.
• Emphasise confidentiality and anonymity
• Obtain permission to record

Knowledge and perceptions of the guidelines

• You said in your form that you know a fair amount/not very much/very little about the Alcohol Sponsorship Guidelines for Scotland. From where would you say you have obtained most of your information about the Guidelines?
• IF NOT MENTIONED: Have you seen the Scottish Government's official Guidelines document?
• IF YES: What did you think of the Guidelines in terms of: level of information provided; whether anything important is missing; whether there is any other information that would be useful - particularly in relation to implementation; any other strengths and weaknesses
• How do you feel about the general principle of having Alcohol Sponsorship Guidelines for Scotland?
  • PROBE FOR: pros and cons
• You said in the form that you think the Guidelines are effective/ not very effective in ensuring that alcohol sponsorship activities undertaken in Scotland promote responsible drinking. Why did you say this; what did you have in mind at the time?
• You also said that you think the Guidelines are effective/not very effective in ensuring that alcohol sponsorship activities undertaken in Scotland promote diversionary/community activities. Again, why did you say this; what did you have in mind at the time?
• Do you have any other general comments that you would like to make about the effectiveness of the Alcohol Sponsorship Guidelines for Scotland?

Implementing the guidelines

EXPLAIN: I'd like to move on now and talk a bit about implementing the Guidelines

• First, what is your perception of how well or otherwise the Guidelines have been implemented by a) the alcohol industry in Scotland generally; and b) your own company?
• Overall, how easy or difficult has your company found it to implement the Guidelines? PROBE FOR DETAIL ON ANY DIFFICULTIES MENTIONED AND ANYTHING THAT HAS FACILITATED IMPLEMENTATION
• Is there someone within your organisation who has specific responsibility for overseeing implementation of the Guidelines?
  • IF YES: Who is that? How do they go about doing this? PROBE ON ANY STANDARD PROCEDURES
  • IF NO: How is implementation handled in your company? PROBE ON: PERSONNEL INVOLVED, ANY STANDARD PROCEDURES ETC.

EXPLAIN: The Core Principles of the guidelines are concerned with creating best practice in the areas of promoting responsible consumption and protecting those below the age of 18. I'm interested to hear about how, if at all, your company goes about implementing these principles. I'll read out each of the principles in turn and, for each, I'd like you to tell me what, if anything, your company does to comply and whether there are anything particular barriers or enablers to doing so.

• as an integral part of each new sponsorship, making a recognisable commitment to activities or events that promote responsible drinking or support diversionary and community activities
• ensuring that alcohol brands are not used to sponsor an individual under 18
• ensuring that alcohol brands are not used to sponsor teams, brands, celebrities or events with a particular appeal to those under the age of 18
• ensuring that competitions for tickets which include hospitality involving the service of alcohol are only be open to those over 18
• making all appropriate efforts to check if there are any know reasons why an association with an alcohol brand would be inappropriate.
• Making all reasonable efforts to obtain historical demographics for the event to ensure that 75% of the event participants, audience and spectators are over 18.
• ensuring alcohol branding does not appear on children's replica sports shirts or clothing
• at sponsored events, or events associated with the sponsor, event organisers and all on and off alcohol providers comply with the standards of good practice and advice contained in the Social Responsibility Standards for the Production and Sale of Alcoholic Drinks Scotland guide
• in addition to the core principles, the Guidelines also contain information about appropriate sampling at sponsored events. Does your company carry out sampling at events?
• IF YES: What measures do your company take to ensure sampling is carried out in a way that promotes responsible consumption and protects those under 18? PROBE FOR: not encouraging 'irresponsible or immoderate consumption; restricting amount consumed; ensuring it will be consumed by person receiving it; asking for ID; not giving samples to people who appear drunk; providing water and snacks. Also check for ensuring the persons carrying out sampling activity comply with current licensing legislation and are trained in the serving of alcohol.
• The guidelines also encourage the integration of responsible drinking messages in all sponsorship communications. Does your company routinely incorporate these messages?
  • IF YES: What does it do?
  • IF NO: Why not?
• Apart from those associated with the Guidelines, does your company have in place any other rules or procedures e.g. internal guidance to ensure the promotion of responsible drinking, including the protection of those under the age of 18? IF YES: What are these?

Improving the Guidelines

• In the form, we asked people to suggest ways in which they would change or improve the Alcohol sponsorship Guidelines for Scotland. The most common responses were:
  • A
  • B
  • C
• To what extent do you agree with these suggestions? Why/why not?
• Do you have any additional suggestions for how the Guidelines might be changed or improved?
• Do you think the Guidelines need to be tightened in any way? If so, how and why?
• How, if at all, do you think SGAIP could promote the guidelines better to raise awareness and compliance in the industry?

Thank respondent, explain next steps and close.

Topic guide - Rights holders

• Introduce self and Ipsos MORI
• Explain purpose of research: Ipsos MORI is conducting a review of the Alcohol Sponsorship Guidelines for Scotland, on behalf of the Scottish Government Alcohol Industry Partnership. The first phase of the research involved asking key industry representatives in Scotland to complete a form recording their main sponsorship activities in Scotland and also a questionnaire focusing on their awareness and perceptions of the Guidelines, including what they do to ensure compliance. We are now seeking to build on the understanding we gain in that exercise by conducting these more in depth interviews with both members of the industry and other external stakeholders like yourself. The interview will focus on your awareness and perceptions of the Guidelines and on how well you feel the alcohol industry in Scotland is performing in terms of compliance and promoting responsible drinking. I'd like to stress that there are no right or wrong answers - we are just interested in getting any views or impressions you do have.
• Explain the interview should take around 30 minutes.
• Emphasise confidentiality and anonymity
• Obtain permission to record

Knowledge and perceptions of the guidelines

• How much, if anything, would you say you know about the Alcohol Sponsorship Guidelines for Scotland?
• IF KNOW SOMETHING: From where would you say you have obtained most of your information about the Guidelines?
• IF NOT MENTIONED: Have you seen the Guidelines document?
• What did you think of the Guidelines?
  • PROBE FOR: level of information provided, whether anything important is missing; whether there is any other information that should be provided - particularly in relation to implementation; any other strengths/weaknesses
• How do you feel about the general principle of having Alcohol Sponsorship Guidelines for Scotland?
  • PROBE FOR: pros and cons
• Apart from the Guidelines, does your organisation have in place any other policies that cover alcohol as a sponsorship partner?
• IF YES: How do these compare with Guidelines? PROBE FOR: more or less stringent?

Implementation of the Guidelines

I'd like to move on and talk a bit about implementation of the Guidelines…

• When you are agreeing terms of sponsorship contracts with alcohol companies, to what extent, if at all, does reference to the guidelines, and any other similar policies you have in place form part of the discussion?
• To what extent do sponsors actively promote the Guidelines?
• And in contracts, is there reference to who is responsible for implementing the Guidelines or other similar policies you have in place?
• IF YES: Who is responsible: the sponsor or your organisation?

EXPLAIN: The Core Principles of the Guidelines are concerned with creating best practice in the areas of promoting responsible consumption and protecting those below the age of 18.

• In general, what is your assessment of how well the alcohol industry in Scotland is performing in respect of promoting responsible drinking and protecting those below the age of 18 in its sponsorship activities? Why do you say this? PROBE FOR:
  • ANY VARATION BY INDUSTRY SEGMENT
  • EXAMPLES OF GOOD/ BAD PRACTICE
• To what extent, if at all, do you feel the Guidelines have made a difference to the industry's performance in this area? Why do you say this?

EXPLAIN: I'd like to ask you some more detailed questions concerning compliance with the each of the core principles of the Guidelines. You may or may not feel you know enough to answer these questions. That's fine; we're just interested in getting any views you do have. I'll read out each of the principles in turn and, for each, I'd like you to tell me what, if anything, your sponsor and your organisation do to comply and whether there are anything particular barriers or enablers to doing so.

• making a recognisable commitment to activities or events that promote responsible drinking or support diversionary and community activities when carrying out sponsorship activity.
• ensuring that alcohol brands are not used to sponsor an individual under 18
• ensuring teams, brands, celebrities or events with a particular appeal to those under the age of 18
• ensuring that competitions for tickets which include hospitality involving the service of alcohol are only be open to those over 18
• making all appropriate efforts to check if there are any know reasons why an association with an alcohol brand would be inappropriate. .
• Making all reasonable efforts to obtain historical demographics for the event to ensure that 75% of the event participants, audience and spectators are over 18.
• ensuring alcohol branding does not appear on children's replica sports shirts or clothing or toys or games etc.
• at sponsored events or events associated with the sponsor, event organisers and all on and off alcohol providers comply with the standards of good practice and advice contained in the Social Responsibility Standards for the Production and Sale of Alcoholic Drinks Scotland guide
• ensuring adequate responsible drinking messages are being integrated into sponsorship communications (refer to page 6 of the guidelines)
• ensuring that any sampling at sponsored events is being carried out appropriately (refer to page 5 of the guidelines)

Improving the Guidelines

• To finish, off I'd like to get your views on how the Guidelines might be improved. In the first phase of the research, we asked industry representatives to suggest possible improvements. The most common responses were:
  • A
  • B
  • C
• To what extent do you agree with these suggestions? Why?
• Do you have any additional suggestions for how the Guidelines might be changed or improved?
• Do you think the Guidelines need to be tightened in any way? If so, how and why?
• How, if at all, do you think SGAIP could promote the guidelines better to raise awareness and compliance in the industry?

Thank respondent, explain next steps and close.

Topic guide - Stakeholders

• Introduce self and Ipsos MORI
• Explain purpose of research: Ipsos MORI is conducting a review of the Alcohol Sponsorship Guidelines for Scotland, on behalf of the Scottish Government Alcohol Industry Partnership. The first phase of the research involved asking key industry representatives in Scotland to complete a form recording their main sponsorship activities in Scotland and also a questionnaire focusing on their awareness and perceptions of the Guidelines, including what they do to ensure compliance. We are now seeking to build on the understanding we gain in that exercise by conducting these more in depth interviews with both members of the industry and other external stakeholders like yourself. The interview will focus on your awareness and perceptions of the Guidelines and on how well you feel the alcohol industry in Scotland is performing in terms of compliance and promoting responsible drinking. I'd like to stress that there are no right or wrong answers - we are just interested in getting any views or impressions you do have.
• Explain the interview should take around 30 minutes.
• Emphasise confidentiality and anonymity
• Obtain permission to record

Knowledge and perceptions of the guidelines

• How much, if anything, would you say you know about the Alcohol Sponsorship Guidelines for Scotland?
• IF KNOW SOMETHING: From where would you say you have obtained most of your information about the Guidelines?
• IF NOT MENTIONED: Have you seen the Guidelines document
• What do you think of the Guidelines?
  • PROBE FOR: level of information provided; whether anything important is missing; whether there is any other information that should be provided - particularly in relation to implementation; any other strengths/weaknesses
• How do you feel about the general principle of having Alcohol Sponsorship Guidelines for Scotland?
  • PROBE FOR: pros and cons
• Are you aware of the mailbox for making comments and suggestions on the Guidelines?

Implementation of the Guidelines

EXPLAIN: The Core Principles of the Guidelines are concerned with creating best practice in the areas of promoting responsible consumption and protecting those below the age of 18.

• In general, what is your assessment of how well the alcohol industry in Scotland is performing in respect of promoting responsible drinking and protecting those below the age of 18 in its sponsorship activities? Why do you say this? PROBE FOR:
  • ANY VARATION BY INDUSTRY SEGMENT
  • EXAMPLES OF GOOD/ BAD PRACTICE
• Are you aware of good practice and/or other guidelines for alcohol sponsorship activity in other countries that you think we can learn from? Why do you say that?
• To what extent, if at all, do you feel the Guidelines have made a difference to the industry's performance in this area? Why do you say this?

EXPLAIN: I'd like to ask you how well or otherwise you feel the industry is complying with the core principles of the Guidelines. You may or may not feel you know enough to answer these questions. That's fine; we're just interested in getting any views you do have. I'll read out each of the core principles in turn and for each, I'd like to tell me whether you think there are any issues with compliance and, if so, what these are and how they could be addressed:

• So to what extent would you say the industry is:
  • making a recognisable commitment to activities or events that promote responsible drinking or support diversionary and community activities when carrying out their sponsorship activity. PROBE FOR EXAMPLES OF GOOD/BAD PRACTICE
  • ensuring that alcohol brands are not used to sponsor an individual under 18 or teams, brands, celebrities or events with a particular appeal to those under the age of 18 PROBE FOR EXAMPLES OF GOOD/BAD PRACTICE
  • ensuring that competitions for tickets which include hospitality involving the service of alcohol are only be open to those over 18 PROBE FOR EXAMPLES OF GOOD/BAD PRACTICE
  • ensuring its sponsorship activities are appropriate - for example, in terms of the nature of sponsored events, the target audiences of the sponsorship etc? PROBE FOR EXAMPLES OF GOOD/BAD PRACTICE.
  • ensuring that it is sponsoring events at which at least 75% of the participants, audiences and spectators are over 18? PROBE FOR EXAMPLES OF GOOD/BAD PRACTICE
  • ensuring alcohol branding does not appear on children's replica sports shirts or clothing, toys, games etc. PROBE FOR EXAMPLES OF GOOD/BAD PRACTICE
  • ensuring adequate responsible drinking messages are being integrated into sponsorship communications PROBE FOR EXAMPLES OF GOOD/BAD PRACTICE (refer to page 6 of the guidelines)
  • ensuring that any sampling at sponsored events is being carried out appropriately PROBE FOR EXAMPLES OF GOOD/BAD PRACTICE (refer to page 5 of the guidelines)

Improving the Guidelines

• To finish, off I'd like to get your views on how the Guidelines might be improved. In the first phase of the research, we asked industry representatives to suggest possible improvements. The most common responses were:
  • A
  • B
  • C
• To what extent do you agree with these suggestions? Why?
• Do you have any additional suggestions for how the Guidelines might be changed or improved?
• Do you think the Guidelines need to be tightened in any way? If so, how and why?
• How, if at all, do you think SGAIP could promote the guidelines better to raise awareness and compliance in the industry.

Thank respondent, explain next steps and close.