Buzzed Driving PSAs Spark Immediate Results

Creating social change takes time in a donated media model. The messages don’t have the benefit of a paid schedule that “flights” ads in a short period of time with high frequency. But with the support of the Television Bureau of Advertising (TVB) our drunk driving campaign broke through in just one week with quantifiable, measurable results.

First, some background on the campaign.

“Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk” is one of the best examples of an Ad Council campaign that changed a social norm. When we took on the issue in 1982, drunk driving was the leading cause of traffic fatalities and, back then, you were more likely to hear “One more for the road”. This campaign’s brilliant intervention strategy empowered “friends” to take the keys away from someone who shouldn’t be driving. In the ensuing 20+ years, the Department of Transportation estimates that the reduction in drunk driving fatalities translates into 80,000 lives saved.

However, beginning in 2000, alcohol-related deaths began to rise again. This time attributed to impaired driving by young men who didn’t feel that they were part of the problem because they felt they were only “buzzed.” So our campaign strategy shifted to the objective of creating yet another social norm – “Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving."

The brilliant creative for the campaign, created pro bono by Mullen, uses what the creative community describes as a “rug pull.” In the TV PSAs, the focus is an obviously drunk person that no one would trust to drive. The voiceover says “it’s easy tell if you’ve had way too many.” Then the focus shifts to an individual who clearly is impaired, although not falling down drunk, reaching for keys as they leave. The voiceover says “but what if you’ve had just one too many? Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving.” The rug pull. Take a look at the spots “Karaoke,” “Drum Solo” and “House Party."

The TVB, which represents local broadcast stations, rallied their members to roadblock the campaign the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day in 2005. An amazing 21,167 spots ran on 638 stations in 179 markets representing 97% of the population and totaling $3.8 million in donated media. That same week, the campaign was featured in 932 local news broadcasts on 333 stations and in 70 newspapers, reaching 49 million people and valued at $2.4 million.

This gave us the opportunity to do a nationwide survey that revealed remarkable results. Nearly 1 in 5 of all adults said they had seen or heard about the Buzzed Driving campaign. Among those who reported seeing the spots, 22% said they spoke with friends or family members about it. And 8 in 10 believed that the campaign will be very/somewhat effective in influencing people to reconsider getting behind the wheel if they are buzzed.

Dramatic results for a one week roadblock. This is the kind of progress that gets us all out of bed each morning!