Responsible Young Drivers (RYD): THE ALCOHOL BARRIER

Credits & Description:

Advertiser: RESPONSIBLE YOUNG DRIVERS (RYD)
Agency: PUBLICIS BRUSSELS
Category: Media, Entertainment and Leisure
Advertising campaign: THE ALCOHOL BARRIER
Account Director: Francis Lippens (Publicis Brussels)
Production Company: Bepark
Art Director: Geert De Rocker (Publicis Brussels)
Producer: Mike Van Cleven (FARMBOY)
Copywriter: Tom Berth (Publicis Brussels)
Production Company: (FARMBOY)
Executive Creative Director: Paul Servaes (Publicis Brussels)
Strategic Planner: Annemie Goegebuer (Publicis Brussels)
Account Manager: Julie Oostvogels (Publicis Brussels)

Campaign Description
After countless ‘don’t drink and drive’ campaigns, Belgians are still driving under influence. The number of weekend accidents keeps growing. Media point the finger at Belgian clubs, where young people drink all night long.The organization Responsible Young Drivers wanted a more convincing, engaging and effective way of drunk driving prevention. We signed a pact with ‘the devil’: Carré, Belgium’s most famous club for dancing, and most infamous location for drinks and drugs. How to stop young people from driving drunk?Stop them literally. Before they leave the club’s parking lot. We developed an innovative parking barrier that only opens after a safe alcohol test.The results: the best covered public awareness message from Responsible Young Drivers ever. And finally positive news about clubbing at Carré.

Strategy
How to stop people from driving drunk? Stop them literally, before they go on the road after a night out.We developed a PR stunt at the parking of Belgium’s legendary club Carré during the weekend of its 22nd birthday. The PR stunt outperformed classical ‘don’t drink and drive’ campaigns. This time it wasn't about warning only, the campaign aimed to effectively engage and activate party people. And that’s 100% relevant if we want to reduce road deaths.Journalists covered the powerful PR stunt in major Belgian media. And this is only the beginning: the coming months other clubs, and music and sports events are hosting the barrier too, reaching precisely those youngsters who like to go out and have a drink (or two).

Effectiveness
Carré’s free parking lot with the alcohol barrier was fully booked. For 90% of the drivers the barrier opened immediately, 10% switched seats or sobered up. ROI: 100% of participants acted as responsible young drivers.More than 15.000 party people at Carré were involved in this drunk driving prevention event on the parking. The PR stunt was covered by Flemish news channels; it reached 1 out of 3 Flemish people via TV, newspapers, blogs, radio (340.000€ advertising value). The best covered public awareness message from Responsible Young Drivers ever. And the reputation of Carré finally got a positive boost too.The coming months the barrier reaches active youngsters on music and sports events. The barrier’s long career in drunk driving prevention has started.

Client Brief Or Objective
Responsible Young Drivers asked Belgian clubs to sign a Quality Nights Charter about safe clubbing. But how could we effectively engage clubbers to drive home sober?And how can we spread our drunk driving prevention message in a powerful way amongst all young Belgians?

Execution
If we can’t stop drunken drivers from getting behind the wheel, maybe we can stop their cars from going on the road?We developed the first parking barrier that doesn’t work with a ticket or chip, but with an alcohol test. You have to blow safe for it to open. If you drank too much alcohol the barrier stays closed. People were committed to stay sober because they knew they couldn’t leave the parking otherwise. And to those who drank too much, Responsible Young Drivers and Carré offered non-alcoholic drinks to sober up.We wanted to reach more Belgians than the 10.000 Carré party people only. So we motivated journalists to cover the premiere of the alcohol test barrier during the anniversary weekend of the Carré club. We also worked on a long-term career for the barrier; other clubs and major sports and music events are adopting the barrier too.

Relevancy
Belgium is at the top of the black list of road accidents in West-Europe. Driving under influence is a major problem. Every year, hundreds of drunken people die on the Belgian roads. During party weekends, 33% of road deaths are younger than 25.Belgians ‘know’ they’re not allowed to drive under influence, but in reality they often act unsafe after a night out. The organization Responsible Young Drivers promotes road safety and communicates about responsible driving. After countless campaigns, some Belgians still drive drunk.