Author’s Note: A special shout out goes to Scott Monty, for sharing this campaign in his This Week in Digital blog post, which is worth signing up for.
While we often hear about the dangers of texting and driving, Ford has taken to its Instagram account with an ongoing series of simple yet powerful images to remind fans that activities like “liking and driving” also fall under the lens of distracted driving.
Go further responsibly. Please, don’t like and drive. A photo posted by Ford Motor Company (@ford) on
As seen above, the images portray relatable scenarios where a distracted driver might miss someone or another vehicle on or near the road. The simple, oversized white heart strategically stands out in the Instagram stream, prompting the viewer to pause and look more closely at the image.
In an interview with Adweek, executive creative director Vico Benevides from Blue Hive Brazil (the agency behind the images for Ford) said, “We want to jump in the social conversation about the risks of using cellphones while driving. The icon of a heart hiding the people in the streets seems to be the perfect image to deliver the message. Simple and powerful.”
Research from Oregon State University published in Journal of Transportation Safety and Security indicates that drivers are more distracted than ever before. In the study, drivers who took their eyes off the road for two seconds or longer increased the risk of an accident up to 24 times. Use of cell phones while driving rank among the top reasons for distracted driving, showcasing the importance of using channels like Instagram where younger audiences spend their time to raise awareness.
Beyond Instagram
Building off of the images, Ford could expand the campaign to drive more engagement and awareness around this very important message. For example, Ford could develop a corresponding hashtag and invite fans to participate by sharing a photo of themselves with a piece of paper pledging not to use their cell phones while driving. The company already has a robust social media portion of its website to share this content, plus information about its history of supporting safe driving programs.
Ford has launched many programs over the years to raise awareness and prevent distracted driving and driving under the influence. One such example is Ford Europe’s recent creation of a “drug driving simulator suit,” which simulates the experience of driving while on drugs. Members of the news media in the UK were recently filmed sharing their experiences driving in this suit as a way to showcase the dangers of driving while on drugs.
During the holiday season and throughout the year, these campaigns offer an important reminder to be safe and practice safe habits while behind the wheel.
To take part in social media pledges, you can visit itcanwait.com, powered by AT&T, to pledge to not text and drive and MADD.org, to pledge not to drink and drive.
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