Australian Road Safety Foundation: Safely Backpacks

Credits & Description:

Client: Australian Road Safety Foundation
Agency: Y&R Brisbane, Australia
Entrant: Y&R Brisbane, Australia
Idea Creation: Y&R Brisbane, Australia
Production: Y&R Brisbane, Australia
Group Communications Director: Fiona Caird (Gpy&R Brisbane)
Executive Creative Director: Andrew Thompson (Y&R Brisbane)
Art Director/Designer: Miguel Gadea (Y&R Brisbane)
Designer: Lloyd Budd (Y&R Brisbane)
Production Director: Michelle Short (Y&R Brisbane)
Broadcast And Content Producer: Sarah Ferrier (Y&R Brisbane)
Account Director: Antonia Vann (Y&R Brisbane)
Describe the campaign/entry:
We created SafelyBackpacks, a school backpack that featured the speed limit around schools. Whenever kids were on their way to and from school, the Safely Backpacks provided a powerful reminder to slow down.
Creative Execution:
The SafelyBackpacks were designed to use as much of the styling as road signs as possible. We kept the speed sign a bold red and white, and then tailored the rest of the backpack to be a calming blue. The initial run of bags were designed for Junior School so we based their size on kids in those grades.
We launched the schoolbags as kids were returning to school from their holidays - a time when many drivers tend to forget that the kids are back at school.
Focusing on one local school, we created social posts that could be shared by relevant community groups and supporters. The idea took off in hours, with great positive comments being made online. Local media also picked up on the initiative.
Based on orders, over 100,000 Backpacks are expected to hit the streets when kids return for the new school year in 2018.
We created an entirely new media channel - school backpacks - to create a powerful road safety message.
Insights, Strategy and the Idea:
The Australian Road Safety Foundation are a trusted authority in the local community. They have strong contacts throughout schools and community groups so we felt it was important to harness these connections for our program.
We targeted parents of young kids as we knew they would be the most receptive to helping us spread the message. We supplied one local school with backpacks for all of their Junior classes, and then used social channels to amplify the idea.