DRINKiQ, UK Men’s Sheds Association and Timmy Mallett Build Benches to Promote Alcohol Wellbeing

​Diageo’s responsible drinking platform DRINKiQ and the UK Men’s Sheds Association (UKMSA) have launched a new campaign Mission: Shoulder to Shoulder to bring the power of shoulder-to-shoulder conversations that happen in Sheds at work benches, to their local communities.

Building on the huge success of Men on a Mission launched last November, Mission: Shoulder to Shoulder, fronted by Timmy Mallett, is an ambitious new initiative. It invites Shedders (the men in sheds) across the UK to come together in building 100 buddy benches and help spark conversations that could brighten someone’s day - or even change a life.

As part of the campaign, DRINKiQ and the UKMSA commissioned a unique social experiment, observing public benches across the country, and found that a public bench would on average facilitate 5.5 conversations daily, 38.5 weekly, and over 2,002 yearly[1]. With Shedders creating 100 buddy benches nationally, their benches could facilitate over 200,000 conversations per year, providing a perfect seat for the four in five (82%) British people who believe in the power of conversation to make someone’s day better[2].

The DRINKiQ x UKMSA partnership is helping UKMSA scale and welcome more ‘Shedders’ up and down the country to its community sheds. Together, they are campaigning to encourage men to better recognise tipping points with alcohol consumption, and highlighting how positive social outlets like Men’s Sheds can help them renew a sense of mission, and improve their wellbeing.

The multi-channel digital campaign was devised by strategic and consultancy agency Blurred, in partnership with Diageo. Blurred partner Hey Sam produced the campaign content.