The sobering truth: Not all drinks are created equal.

Leaning on a smarter drinking buddy.

The North Dakota Health and Human Services Behavioral Health Division (BHD) started the Speak Volumes initiative to reduce adult binge drinking. We developed a campaign to educate drinkers about how alcohol volumes vary from drink to drink.

Inspired by the state’s existing Speak Volumes alcohol awareness effort, the agency team developed a relatable and engaging way to encourage drinkers to make more intelligent choices. They created an intriguing browser-based app called the Alculator that drinkers could check for a quick reading of their favorite drink’s alcohol volume amounts. Colorful, fun, and easily navigable, the bar crowd-pleasing Alculator is an indispensable and informative tool that goes wherever bargoers go, giving them instant, invaluable comparisons of drink alcohol volumes right from their phone, right at the bar.

Attention-getting, lively digital videos and secret-sharing streaming audio focused on specific alcohol volume comparisons involving a Long Island iced tea, a margarita, and craft beer. This messaging was a central part of a NDSU Bison Football promotional package to connect the Speak Volumes/Vision Zero outreach effort with a loyal fan base and encourage engagement with the new Alculator.

Overall, the Alculator was a resounding success, drawing remarkable interest from North Dakota’s bar-going audience. In fact, engagement was so strong, our team had to pause the “add a drink” feature to address the large number of drink suggestions received in the two weeks following the app’s launch.