Independent Aussie non-alcoholic beer company Heaps Normal has launched a campaign against perfection called ‘Do Your Best’.

“Whether it’s cutting down on the booze, training to run a marathon, practicing for that gig, preparing for your first-born or attempting something new in the kitchen, we reckon the little achievements are always worth celebrating,” says Heaps Normal’s co-founder and Head of Brand Peter Brennan.

Brennan explained the Do Your Best campaign stems from the recognition that ‘your best’ will look different for everyone, particularly when it comes to cutting back on alcohol.

“It gets to this time of year and, all of a sudden, there’s lots of talk about giving up the booze for a while,” he said. “But let’s be honest, after the year we’ve all had, we’re all a bit sick of being told what to do. Small improvements on your own terms are just fine. It doesn’t always have to be boom or bust.”

Over the past 15 years, alcohol consumption has decreased in Australia, from 10.8 litres per capita per year down to 9.4 litres, the lowest seen in 50 years. Similar trends have been seen globally. The Do Your Best campaign comes after a bumper year for the Australian non-alcoholic beer market, which Euromonitor estimates grew by 43% between 2020-2021.

Brennan says he hopes the Do Your Best campaign will encourage Aussies to reflect on the past 12 months.

“It’s so important to celebrate the small wins, the times you put one foot in front of the other, the community coming together to pitch in, the outpourings of help…all the times over the past year when, in the face of it all, you just did your best,” he said.

A 2021 study by DrinkWise found that 32% of those surveyed who reported a decrease in their alcohol consumption since the start of the pandemic attributed the use of no- and low-alcohol products as assisting them to reduce their consumption. The same study found that Aussies aged 18-44 are twice as likely to consume zero and low-strength alcohol compared with those aged over 45.

The Do Your Best campaign will see Heaps Normal give a custom 1995 Seadoo SPX1000 Heaps Normal JETSKI and $3327 cash to the person who writes the winning story of a time they were just doing their best. Entries close midnight on 31 July and the winner will be announced on 5 August on heapsnormal.com.