Young men targeted in Christmas drink drive campaigns

Official drink driving campaigns are increasingly using social media to reach target groups.

The UK government’s Think! campaign is using events such as major football games and video game launches to point out to young males what they could miss out on if they have one extra pint.  The social media images use messages written on the side of beer glasses to get the message across.

The campaign specifically targets young males, as figures show they account for almost two thirds of drink drivers killed on UK roads.

A new advert will be posted on Twitter or Facebook everyday throughout December playing on the concept of #FOMO ‘fear of missing out’. The adverts aim to make it clear to young men that they have plenty to live for the following day, which they may not see if they choose to have a second drink.

Ireland’s annual campaign takes a different approach – focusing in on the experience of a family who lost a young child as a result of a drink driving collision.

Meanwhile Belgium’s annual BOB campaign, which encourages people to designate a ‘Bob’ who agrees not to drink, and to drive friends home, this year features a ‘Thanks Bob’ message. The public can nominate their favourite Bob to win a Bob BONGO, named after a popular gift voucher scheme.

A recent drink driving campaign by the Slovenian Traffic Safety Agency has won a 2016 Accolade Global Film Award.  The video, which draws attention to the potentially life changing consequences of drink driving in an original way, has been viewed 90,000 times on the organisation’s Facebook page.