Shifting attitudes around distracted driving

Challenge

Most drivers know they shouldn’t use their phone when they’re behind the wheel. Yet fear of missing out and not being connected to others is a powerful lure that leads many to sneak a peek at their screens. As a result, distracted driving is the leading cause of fatal crashes in BC. Clearly, ICBC needed a new message if it wanted to get through to complacent drivers about the dangers of distracted driving.

Approach

Research confirmed what we instinctively knew: drivers were tired of the standard shock ads that featured horrific crashes, grieving parents and an overly sombre tone. So we went in the opposite direction. We created a lighthearted campaign of highly targeted TV ads, pre-roll videos and radio spots that encouraged drivers to stay strong, resist the temptation and ignore their phones—even if the phones themselves crave that attention.

Results

Post-campaign research showed impressively high advertising recall and brand link. Most importantly, the campaign changed driving behaviour: the number of people who self-reported using their phone while driving dropped a whopping 45% over the campaign period.