Despite increased Police enforcement, which has resulted in increased numbers of drink-drivers being caught, drink-driving remains a major cause of road crashes. It is one of the two largest causes of deaths and injuries on New Zealand roads.
In particular, drink-driving by youth is a serious road safety and public health issue in New Zealand, with younger drivers continuing to be the largest problem group. Young drivers cause nearly half of all the alcohol-related road crashes on New Zealand roads. As a result of these crashes involving young drivers, around 1000 people are injured or killed each year.
Accordingly, the target audience for this new campaign is primarily young male drivers aged 17-24 years who live in rural or provincial New Zealand. These guys are aware that they shouldn't drink and drive but this awareness hasn't yet translated into behaviour.
The new ad, Trapped, focuses on the instant and chilling consequence of drink-driving by showing young drivers there is nothing glamorous or fun about drinking, driving and crashing. It links drink-driving by young people with the risk to themselves and their mates, demonstrating they won't always walk away.
This is an important social issue and a difficult audience to persuade to change their behaviour. The mix of youth invincibility, their inability to appreciate long term consequences and the heroism associated with risky behaviour overrides any concern they may have about potential hurt.
Trapped is unashamedly strong and confronting to challenge these young drivers. Audience testing has shown it to be highly relevant and compelling with young drinking drivers. It was also tested on a general audience who also found the ad compelling with messages relevant to themselves and to younger people.
Trapped will complement the current Sober Driver advertising which aims to establish sober driving as something that mates do to get each other home safely.
Trapped runs with other print and radio advertising to support Police enforcement.
Our campaign aims to change the behaviour of these young drivers. It shows the instant and chilling consequences of drink-driving.
It links drink-driving by young people with the risk to themselves (and their mates) demonstrating that if they crash, they won't always walk away.
Television advertising
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Trapped
Radio advertising
Print advertising
X-ray
Handcuffs
