Theatre of Deception: Diageo’s School Program in Brazil

Diageo – the alcohol giant behind brands like Johnnie Walker and Smirnoff – continues to push its so-called “Na Real” program into Brazilian schools under the pretense of “youth education”. Promoted as a tool to prevent underage alcohol use, Na Real serves Diageo’s branding interests more than public health goals. It gives Diageo access to classrooms, future consumers, and the chance to pose as a public health ally – all while normalizing alcohol use and protecting its long-term profits.

In a recent announcement, the city of Natal in northeastern Brazil partnered with Diageo to implement Na Real in public schools, targeting students aged 12 to 14. The program uses vague goals like helping youth “make informed decisions,” a favorite industry tactic that conveniently shifts responsibility to the individual while ignoring the root cause: a profit-driven business model that depends on early brand exposure and future consumption.

But Na Real is not unique – it fits a broader pattern of corporate manipulation. A peer-reviewed analysis published in PLOS One (2022) examined school-based alcohol education programs funded by the industry, including Smashed (Diageo) and Talk About Alcohol (Alcohol Education Trust, UK). The study found that:

• Neither program is based on evidence of effectiveness.
• Both use industry-friendly messaging, emphasizing personal choice and “responsible” use – language that shifts blame to individuals and mirrors alcohol marketing campaigns.
• They avoid clear, science-based warnings about alcohol harm, omitting key facts such as the link between alcohol and cancer.
• Rather than challenging alcohol industry practices, the programs help sanitize them, functioning as public relations tools rather than genuine prevention efforts.

Na Real is not just similar to Smashed – it is the Brazilian version of Smashed Global, Diageo’s flagship youth program rolled out across more than 30 countries. Na Real uses the same formula: soft messaging, strategic omissions, and corporate branding – all under the guise of health education. It’s not about protecting young people – it’s about protecting the industry’s future market.

This is a textbook example of Deception and Manipulation, two of the industry’s Dubious Five tactics. Instead of allowing public health institutions to deliver evidence-based prevention, Diageo is given free rein to shape how children think about alcohol – not to reduce use, but to normalize it early and secure future customers. Diageo’s role in schools is a clear conflict of interest. Governments and municipalities should clearly say no to industry-funded programs and invest in independent, evidence-based youth education that puts children’s well-being first.

Deception is Big Alcohol’s activity to hinder and obscure public recognition of the real effects of alcohol. The focus of the DUBIOUS FIVE strategy of deception is the public’s recognition of the full extent of alcohol harm, the understanding of the risk caused by alcohol products, and the root causes of alcohol harm and their most effective alcohol policy solutions. Using deception strategies Big Alcohol seeks to fuel cognitive dissonance among the public.

Source:
https://www.natal.rn.gov.br/news/post2/41982

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