Free the Spirits Campaign

The #FreeTheSpirits campaign is a grassroots effort by the North Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association (NCRLA) and the North Carolina Retail Merchants Association (NCRMA) to drive support amongst North Carolina consumers, restaurants, and retailers for the passage of House Bill 971 to modernize the state’s monopoly liquor control system.

Outlining this multi-pronged effort from its conception, Metzger distilled the concerns and desires of stakeholders in the hospitality industry and legislators to outline the provisions included in HB 971. A project perfectly suited to the unique skills in Metzger’s wheelhouse, her previous posts as executive director for both the executive director of the North Carolina Craft Brewers Guild and the North Carolina Wine & Grape Council along with her tenure at NCRLA provided rich background knowledge that enabled clear communication within committees drawing up legislation and spreading garnering public support. 

In addition to conceptualizing and outlining the problem and proposed legislative solutions, Metzger outlined and created the Free the Spirits campaign website and visuals, providing an attractive and easily accessible overview of the campaign, context, FAQs, and media resources to empower others to take up the cause. Metzger’s clear focus on finding a solution to satisfy all, her comprehensive groundwork, and her creation of a robust campaign with accompanying resources has enabled the effort to #FreetheSpirits to gain momentum, increasing the general public’s awareness of the need for alcohol reform in North Carolina.