Highlighting Penalties for Serving Minors with the “Hey Mister” Campaign

Capital City Community Centers (Capital City), a multi-service social service agency based in Providence, was awarded a State Improvement Grant (SIG) to support efforts aimed at improving the quality of life of underserved young people in Providence and North Providence. Among these was an initiative to decrease youth access to alcohol by changing or removing environmental factors that may facilitate that access.

Clarendon conducted supplemental qualitative research to yield information revealing where and how 12 to 17 year olds in Providence and North Providence access alcohol and how specific environments might be altered to reduce alcohol transactions. The research exposed two popular methods youth use to obtain alcohol: the “Hey Mister” approach (when a youth asks a person over the age of 21 to purchase alcohol), and the use of fake IDs.

Based on these findings, Clarendon Group devised a bilingual, audience-appropriate campaign dubbed “Hey Mister.” The campaign featured an attention-getting black and white poster done in graphic novella style. Two different versions, “Hey Mister” and “Hey Kid,” highlighted the penalties. A paid media campaign placed posters in bus shelters and malls, and partnerships with community leaders and police placed posters in youth centers and liquor stores. High profile events at liquor stores and City Hall announced the campaign.

The “Hey Mister” campaign garnered significant earned media for the issue. “Hey Mister” was covered on local television and radio stations including WJAR 10, WPRI 12, WPRO, and WHJJ. Print stories and photos appeared in the Providence Journal, the Providence Business News, and the North Providence Breeze.