Is there such a thing as being too sober?

I happened upon some news a few weeks ago that really revealed the snake in the hen house, but was also a deep cut to my own identity. UK recording artist and actor Jordan Stephens was just about to ink a deal to promote a new zero alcohol version of popular lager Madri Exceptional. In a twisted turn of events, the deal fell through because the brand thought he was ‘too sober’.

Photo credit: Independentalent.com

I get it, and this is what I was afraid of when I first started being vocal about choosing an alcohol-free lifestyle. The word sober was terrifying to me, because I didn’t want to be judged. I didn’t even like the idea of having a label. So I never identified as being sober, even though I had a pretty serious problem with drinking wine. What is even worse, I hid behind the safety of non-alcoholic drinks, instead of being more vocal about the lifestyle.

Many of you are here because you saw me on TV or heard me on the radio talking about what to drink when you’re not drinking. So maybe this conversation is also scary for you, and you’re just a regular drinker who is interested in healthier options and doesn’t want a label, but what happened to Jordan Stephens highlights the darker aspects at play in this emerging niche.

For over a century, Big alcohol has profited from an addictive substance, and now that people are waking up to the harms of alcohol and eschewing an evening tipple, they’re pivoting and hoping to profit from non-alcoholic options.

The absolute tragedy of this is the wrong motivation, and the duality of trying to promote both an addictive substance and something else that is not. Stephens’ ‘too sober’ persona wasn’t aligned with Madri because they’re scared his message would dilute their alcohol sales.

On the one hand, it’s great there are probably close to a thousand non-alcoholic beer brands, and the push for moderation is now a global movement. But we can’t hide behind the ‘safe’ version of why this is necessary. Alcohol is addictive and the most dangerous Class 1 carcinogen for both personal and extended network damage.

If Big Alcohol brands are unwilling to get behind a lifestyle with no-alcohol, despite producing options without alcohol, what hope does the entire niche have for really being able to make a deep impact on society?

As for me, I’ve been trying to figure out why a certain national TV show won’t book segments with me anymore, and the penny dropped this week that I’m ‘too sober’ for them. They’ll keep using their wine and cocktail experts to occasionally check the box on non-alcoholic options, but in a bid to keep viewers and big alcohol advertisers feeling safe and comfortable, they don’t dare push too hard on the alternative lifestyle message. Until sober is not a dirty word anymore.