Quebec strongman Hugo Girard is none too pleased to be called a “douchebag” by a student who’s had one too many, in an Éduc’alcool campaign aimed at promoting responsible drinking among students in the province.
Featuring the line “Look who you just called a douchebag” (As-tu vu qui tu as traité de douchebag), the back-to-school poster campaign is being deployed in all CEGEPs (junior colleges) and universities in Quebec.
The period when students head back to class is notorious for parties and initiation rites that often involve excessive amounts of alcohol, notes Hubert Sacy, director general of the non-profit moderation organization Éduc’alcool.
Girard “is an enormous asset in this campaign. His celebrity and popularity lend tremendous credibility to our message,” Sacy says.
Girard, who has pulled an 80-ton airplane more than 30 metres in 43 seconds, is a four-time World Muscle Power champion and has been Canada’s Strongest Man six times.
“I was thrilled when Éduc’alcool offered me this opportunity to play a role in the campaign, which encourages young people to think about the consequences of drinking too much,” Girard said in a statement. “There’s no doubt that when you’ve downed one too many, you tend to do and say things you regret bitterly afterward. Even though I have to play the bad guy, I really hope that young people take the message to heart.”
