The Face of Distracted Driving Caleb, Forrest
AT&T/ It Can Wait
Issue 48 | September 2018
Agency
BBDO New York
Creative Team
Chief Creative Officer BBDO Worldwide David Lubars Chief Creative Officer BBDO New York Greg Hahn Executive Creative Director Matt MacDonald Creative Director/ Copywriter Kevin Mulroy Creative Director/ Art Director Bianca Guimaraes
Production Team
Director of Integrated Production David Rolfe Group Executive Producer Julie Collins Executive Producer Dan Blaney Producer Bree Hopenwasser Production Company Biscuit Director Errol Morris Music Company Human Audio Post Production Company Post Human
Other Credits
Chief Strategy Officer Crystal Rix Strategy Director Charles Baker Project Manager Claire McCastle Account Team Kathryn Brown, Katie Hollenkamp, Jaimie Donohue, Katelyn Burns, Caroline Main
Date
April 2018
Background
Distracted driving was a public safety crisis, causing as many as 4,000 deaths per year in the U.S. While more than 95% of people recognised the danger in using their smartphones while driving, over 83% of drivers still did it. The goal was to close this gap between belief and action. To do this, the work had to be engaging enough to get the audience’s attention and powerful enough to create real change in driver behavior.
Idea
The idea was to work carefully with the victims’ families so they could explain all that was lost in their own words. Forensic artists and visual effects teams “resurrected” two boys who had been killed in distracted driving accidents.
The two films both opened on a young man speaking to camera about how his life might have been. Each used home video footage of Caleb and of Forrest as boys before revealing how they’d look like today if they hadn’t been killed by a distracted driver.
The TV spots drove to two online documentaries, one for each boy, shot by Errol Morris. Through extended interviews with family members, the films explored the true depth of loss experienced by those left behind after one of these events.
Results
Against the objectives of being impactful enough to create real change, 60% of viewers said the campaign would change their behaviour.
The campaign garnered over 73 million media impressions and there were over 13 million views of the documentaries. It has helped The It Can Wait program to surpass 20 million pledges from people to never drive distracted.
Our Thoughts
Sometimes, getting people to click, like and share online is relatively easy. A bit of fun, a bit of nonsense, and you get an instant response. But getting them to sit and watch and think, well – that can be a darn sight harder. That’s when you need craft skills of the highest order. That’s what we have here. Well-made advertising that drives people to watch a couple of totally compelling short documentaries. One is over five minutes long, the other over seven minutes. They are as powerful as anything you’ve ever seen on “Cutting Edge” or similar. If you aren’t moved by Forrest’s brother when he tears up then you are made of granite.
The message is clear. When someone dies as a result of texting-and-driving, the collateral damage is appalling, in every sense of the word.
Forrest’s Story: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=Z3PGl_t2WD8
Caleb’s Story: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=zkezsLZ2FHA