RSA advert showing dangers of texting and driving gets worldwide accolade
The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has won a worldwide accolade for making the best Public Service Announcement in the last year. The award in the Public Service Advertising category at the annual Global EPICA Awards in Berlin was given to the RSA’s television advert ‘Anatomy of a Split Second’ which highlights the dangers of using a mobile phone and texting behind the wheel of a car.
Known as the ‘Golden Globes of advertising’, the awards are an international celebration of creativity and are judged by the advertising journalism industry. A total of 585 agencies from 75 countries participated in this year’s awards.
The RSA was one of nine countries to pick up gold in the Public Service Advertising category, but went on to win the overall Supreme Award in this category. The category, which is sponsored by Euronews, is traditionally one of the hardest categories to win, due to the high level of competition. The RSA will receive €50,000 of free airtime on Euronews across Europe, which will bring the message of mobile phone distraction to a pan European audience. This is only the 21st time that an ad from Ireland has won an award at the Epica’s since they were established in 1987.
Moyagh Murdock, Chief Executive, Road Safety Authority said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been recognised globally for ‘Anatomy of a Split Second’. It really does show how highly regarded Ireland is at an international level when it comes to promoting road safety and reducing road trauma. It is a very special and a very powerful advert. Importantly, since it has been broadcast, effectiveness research has shown that it is positively influencing attitudes and behaviour, and critically among the high risk group.” She added that, “The campaign delivers a very strong and singular core message with the vast majority of those interviewed rating the campaign as very effective. In addition, 75% of drivers also state that the advert made them realise that being distracted for even a second while driving can have devastating consequences.”
“The biggest distraction for drivers on our roads is the mobile phone, but despite this, people continue to text, make calls, take photos and update their social pages while driving. Making a call while driving will make you four times more likely to crash – texting makes you 23 times more likely. As the ad says, quite powerfully, it won’t kill you to put it away.” Concluded Ms. Murdock.
‘Anatomy of a Split Second’, which was produced by Irish International and directed by Martin Stirling (who is renowned for his work with Greenpeace and Safe the Children Foundation), focuses on the idea of something happening in a split second. The ad shows us a split second under the microscope, caught in time. The viewer is introduced to a serene world in a barbecue setting in a family garden. We see a series of actions, split seconds caught in a loop, the consequences are harmless. Just everyday life. However, as our focus moves over to the road, we see that a driver is texting on his mobile phone while driving. In that split second we see that a collision with a family is devastatingly imminent.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1_n7dpv_Ks&feature=youtu.be