by Paul Fitzpatrick
Blowing off steam, relaxing with a drink, partying the stress of a long work week on a Saturday night appears to many as a rite of passage for young men and women, especially those in the military. “That Guy” is not the fellow who has a few beers and mellows out after a long week. That Guy is the one who becomes rude, obnoxious, a nuisance to those around him and potentially a risk to himself and others. And women can be That Guy, too.
We’ve all seen That Guy making a spectacle of himself. Sometimes we laugh at him, but it’s not so funny when he wrecks your evening by acting out, or getting you kicked out of the bar, or starting a fight you have to finish, or ruining your hook-up, or getting arrested, or bleeding in your car, or smashing your TV, or puking on your shoes, or … well, you get the point.
Society sends mixed signals to That Guy. He’s just letting off steam after a hard day or week, right? Sometimes his friends and strangers encourage his behavior. Maybe, in the moment, he feels like he’s funny or popular. Sometimes he’s the life of the party.
But when we see him in action, or see the consequences he faces, he’s a reminder to all of us: “Don’t let me be That Guy.” The day after, when everyone’s talking about his antics, we’re so glad we weren’t That Guy. If we become That Guy on occasion, we regret it. If we’re That Guy all the time, we need help. But the truth is: No one wants to be That Guy.
We’ve seen some That Guy behavior in the military. But we’ve also seen it from frat boys, businessmen, the girl next door, and even relatives. Poor judgment knows no bounds. The trick is to avoid it, and learning from others’ mistakes can really help.
What are some reasons not to be That Guy? Here are a few to consider:
– Because teeth look better in your mouth
– Because puking through your nose hurts
– Because STD does not stand for “So Totally Drunk”
– Because insurance doesn’t cover stupidity
– Because “I don’t remember” is not an excuse that holds up in court
The beauty of “Don’t Be That Guy” is that it’s open-ended advice – it covers a million possibilities. It’s also not judgmental. It isn’t saying don’t drink, or don’t have a few beers with your buddies, or don’t go out and let loose a little. It simply means don’t overdo it, don’t lose control, don’t be an idiot.
In fact, we’ve turned That Guy into a multi-media campaign that uses online and offline communication with the goal of reducing excessive drinking among young servicemen. The campaign encourages young enlisted to reject excessive drinking because it detracts from the things they care about: family, friends, dating, sex, money, and reputation. The campaign uses humor to deliver a serious message and provides viral tools so everyone can help eradicate That Guy. Designed for E1-E4 active duty junior enlisted, ages 18 to 24 in all branches of service, the campaign targets the occasional binge drinker to raise awareness, change attitudes, change behavior and reduce binge drinking rates.
Focus group findings showed the audience likes interactive interventions that focus on short-term and social consequences, and they favor peer-to-peer messages rather than those top down from the chain of command. The campaign was tested in four pilot installations and has been rolled out to more than 800 installations around the world.
The campaign uses a stealth approach to reach the junior enlisted with playing cards, coasters, cartoons, key chains, etc., where they live, work, and play. A variety of posters and TV and radio PSAs are available to installations for posting and downloading. There’s a Mobile Site and a new mobile app coming soon to help spot and stop That Guy. See more at www.thatguy.com.
Paul Fitzpatrick is the program manager for That Guy.
