Those responsible for the recent marketing campaign for road safety deserve considerable credit for the effort they’ve put in to encourage safe driving, something I neglected to mention in my earlier post. However, this writer does question the impact shock marketing will have on their end goal of reducing the number of accidents and deaths on our roads.
The issue this writer has with shock marketing is that it just isn’t motivating enough. Seeing beat up bikes and people faking dead on the side of the road doesn’t provoke a personalize response of “wow… that could be me”.
In order to provoke such a response one may be inclined to use a more subtle yet heart wrenching tactic. Indeed, it is sadly rare to have not known someone who has perished on our roads and it is the use of these personal connections that would be most effective.
This writer suggests that for the next road safety campaign portraits of every individual to have died on our roads over the last 10 years be obtained.
Each portrait is then to be blown up to poster size with large writing on it displaying “In loving memory of”, their name, what they died on (bike/car) and the date they perished.
Then take each poster and display them one after another, about 50 meters apart for the length of the drive into town.
Then, on the last poster, use the same style but this time use a black silhouette emblazoned with a big white question mark.
For the name, put YOU? and put the date as TBD, 2008
This kind of marketing isn’t a sudden shock but a gradual one that would rock your very soul. First by building the personal connection with every unfortunate soul to have died on our roads. Then driving it home by getting them to truly see themselves as the next posible victim.
(written on my mobile)
Denee – I think you are on to something… your idea would server to remind us of our loved ones lost to our roads and most important, to remember: “but for the grace of God, go I!”
Well done. Now lets see if the Road Safety C. is listening and appreciates your ideas and feedback.
Great idea, and I think could be very effective, but would they need to get the permission of the families involved, if so would they get it?
What if they just did up the signs with the dates and particulars of the accident instead?
My recommendation would be to get permission from the families involved. I would be inclined to believe that many would be willing, perhaps not all, but enough to put together a decent campaign.
I think signs with dates and particulars wouldn’t be as effective as photos that you can make a personal connection with.
Really good idea but all is almost completely lost without law enforcement we having been getting nothing but lip service and spin on our approach to crime.
Our Police service is a JOKE . There is two sides to this blame game are they under funded and staffed( which has been the response for over TEN years from the commissioner) or are they incompetent.
I blame our government leaders on their lack of priorities and selfish outside interests with no focus on our two big problems EDUCATION and CRIME.
How many more young Bermudians must die on our roads before we set up sobriety checks. This is a very simple solution and amazing that our decision makers just don’t get it.