Texting and driving is still prevalent throughout the world and a major cause of road deaths. That’s why there are still numerous road safety PSA campaigns on the subject. Unfortunately, data shows that these ‘don’t text and drive’-campaigns no longer have the impact needed to change really our behaviour. In order to change that the organization Parents of Road Victims asked us to come with a radical new take in preventing texting and driving.
Describe the strategy
Data shows that people have become immune to ‘don’t text and drive’ road safety campaigns. So, we had to make a very broad impact on all Belgian drivers, but with specific attention to the young crowd, since they not only text but also use WhatsApp, Instagram and all other channels while driving. The strategy was simple: intrigue and incite to go to the platform via broad media – TV and Cinema – and Press coverage. And create direct traffic to the BlindMeters.com via a digital connectivity plan and the power of social media.
Describe the execution
The launch of BlindMeters.com played out across various channels. The campaign took off with an intriguing 45” and 60” film on TV and in Cinema, teasing the audience with the question ‘How many metres are you driving blind?’ and inciting them to find out on BlindMeters.com. A press release was sent out and a digital traffic-building connectivity plan was executed the very same day as the film was launched. Including banners, Instagram Stories, Google Ad-words and 4 influencers whom we asked to walk the ‘blind distance’ of the last message they wrote while texting behind the wheel. Very eye-opening for them, and their followers, knowing that one fraction of a second of not paying attention can be deadly.
List the results
Data shows that people kind of became immune to the road safety ‘don’t text and drive’-campaigns. The new take on this old problem, BlindMeters.com, was able to brake that immunity from the start. People engaged. Massively. Over 5 million blind meters were typed on the platform BlindMeters.com after just 24 hours. The press immediately joined the conversation. Literally all National and Regional newspapers, all news-sites and all National TV-channels covered BlindMeters.com. Resulting in millions and millions of meters of press coverage. You can imagine the value. But this is only the start of something much bigger. In the mean-time the National Police authority is working to make BlindMeters.com an official part of the driving education of Belgian driving schools. BlindMeters.com will also extend in other European countries like France, Portugal and Slovenia soon.