Video PSA 2
Department of Transportation & Public Facilities, Alaska Highway Safety Office: Until You’re Ready
Project Description: Distracted driving impacts everyone, and there appear to be no differences in gender, geographic area, or other characteristics among those engaging in this dangerous and deadly behavior. Research conducted by Lower 48 Highway Safety Offices revealed that outside of someone being directly involved in or directly witnessing harm due to distracted driving, social norming messages were the most effective in changing perceptions and behavior regarding this highway safety topic. Furthermore, examples depicting individuals engaging in the target behavior more strongly influenced perception and behavior than examples of what not to do. A distracted driving survey completed by the Center for Safe Alaskans in FFY21 revealed that although most Alaskans know it isn’t safe to engage in distracted driving, such as eating, drinking, reaching for something, talking on the phone, and texting, Alaskans’ behavior was in contradiction to this knowledge, especially as it related to using a phone while driving, and observed cell phone usage was highest in Anchorage compared to other major demographic areas in the state.
To better reach and resonate with all Alaskans and support behavior change, our team developed two new 15-second distracted driving prevention videos, one depicting a male and one depicting a female. We chose younger talent to allow for use in teen driver safety campaigns. Both videos were tested in the Center for Safe Alaskans’ Health Promotion Neuromarketing Lab to assess engagement and emotional response. This lab utilizes eye tracking, sweat conduction, and other autonomic measures to determine one’s level of engagement and emotional response to audio/visual material. Materials receiving the highest engagement are more likely to be noticed and recalled. Among five distracted driving videos tested, Until You’re Ready generated the most attention and emotional engagement. Other measures confirmed that viewers were fully engaged in the video’s storyline, and experienced heightened emotional response when it was revealed that the character’s vehicle had been in park while applying makeup.
Results of the FFY22 media recall and attitudinal survey showed 66% message recall for this video. Filming and video production were negotiated as a no-cost, value-added benefit for a statewide television media buy. Project management, messaging strategy/copywriting, and creative direction were the only, and minimal, costs conferred to the client, and did not exceed $5,000 for two 15-second videos.
Production Team
- Project Lead: Kelby Holtfreter Murphy
- Traditional Media Strategy: Teresa Curran
- Project Support and Digital Media Strategy: Adam Godfrey
- Creative Concepting: Jack Sheppard, Erin Torgerson
- Creative Direction: Sam Irwin
- Filming and Video Production: Syntax Productions