That one road safety ad.

Jeebus · 07-05-2010 12:17AM #1

I seriously wish they would stop showing it. Its horrific.

You know the one where the young couple are sitting on a wall. Yesterday I was watching television with one of my female friends, this ad came on and she burst out crying, having lost friends of hers in a car accident before.

It can seriously drain the happiness from a room, and ever notice how whenever you're talking with friends, and you're having a conversation, and it wanes for a little while, then, inevitably this ad comes on and drains all the colour from the room, and the night dies.

Also, when I was dragged to the last Harry Potter movie, a similar car crash ad was shown before the movie, as I remember it showed two guys being stuck in a car. Kids were crying all over the shop, and that was before Dumbledore even died.

I would also dispute its efficacy if you were to put it up against a series of hypothetical ads that would teach people the rules of the road, which lane to use on a roundabout etc...things people seem unable to learn. This tactic would, I imagine, be far more effective than horrible, vivid imagery that you're going to try and get out of your head as soon as you possibly can.

I'd even prefer the sexist drivel they had showing before to this

.

TPD · 07-05-2010 12:20AM

Dumbledore dies?

Dudess · 07-05-2010 12:20AM

That and the one with the guy crashing into a garden after a few drinks and crushing the small boy, and the one with the bunch of people in a car who get smashed all over the place because of no seatbelt (it uses that Body To Body Bowie-sampling tune) - they're just gratuitous gore and have me doing a beeline for the remote.

The ones with a bereaved relative merely talking about their loved one who was killed are, to me, more "effective". Dunno why...

Fago! · 07-05-2010 12:20AM

They're right to show the horribly graphic ads so young punks will think about the disastrous consequences of speeding next time they are speeding. People are dying because they think "Ah it'll be grand"... **** no it won;t be grand when your pissing and breathing form a tube for the rest of your life!!! Only irresponsible pricks speed and this ad will hopefully get through to them.

Having watched those ads, I know if I ever began to drive, I wouldn't speed. It shook me up.

Fair play to them for making it!!.

SV · 07-05-2010 12:22AM

Dudess wrote: »

The ones with a bereaved relative merely talking about their loved one who was killed are, to me, more "effective". Dunno why...

Ah yes I think they're much much better.
Like the one with the doctor describing it al happening and then having to tell the family..far more effective

Fago! wrote: »

The show the horribly garphic ads so young punks will think twice next time they're speeding!

Having watched those ads, I know if I ever began to drive, I wouldn't speed. It shook me up.

they don't work.
All of the 'situations' they show are down to stupid fúcking driving and not speeding

starbelgrade · 07-05-2010 12:22AM

Jeebus wrote: »

I seriously wish they would stop showing it. Its horrific.

You know the one where the young couple are sitting on a wall. Yesterday I was watching television with one of my female friends, this ad came on and she burst out crying, having lost friends of hers in a car accident before.

It can seriously drain the happiness from a room, and ever notice how whenever you're talking with friends, and you're having a conversation, and it wanes for a little while, then, inevitably this ad comes on and drains all the colour from the room, and the night dies.

Also, when I was dragged to the last Harry Potter movie, a similar car crash ad was shown before the movie, as I remember it showed two guys being stuck in a car. Kids were crying all over the shop, and that was before Dumbledore even died.

I would also dispute its efficacy if you were to put it up against a series of hypothetical ads that would teach people the rules of the road, which lane to use on a roundabout etc...things people seem unable to learn. This tactic would, I imagine, be far more effective than horrible, vivid imagery that you're going to try and get out of your head as soon as you possibly can.

I'd even prefer the sexist drivel they had showing before to this .

There is a current advertising campaign on RTE, showing people the correct lane to use when approaching a roundabout, though I don't think anyone pays a blind bit of attention to it, judging by the idiotic use of roundabouts in Ireland.

The other ads are more noticable - which is a point proven by your post (seeing as you never noticed the informative ads, but only the others)

stepbar · 07-05-2010 12:23AM

Good to see the message is getting through.

It BeeMee · 07-05-2010 12:23AM

TPD wrote: »

Dumbledore dies?

He was stuck into a young wan against a wall when he was hit by a car.

mikom · 07-05-2010 12:23AM

Sightsavers is the one that makes me want to put my foot through the TV.
So annoying with its voice over that I actually have found myself saying "Would you ever fuck off" to the TV.

Dudess · 07-05-2010 12:24AM

SV wrote: »

Ah yes I think they're much much better.

I wouldn't say I like them more - they're exceptionally harrowing also - but I think they convey the message better, rather than being arguably OTT "violence porn".

07-05-2010 12:25AM

This post has been deleted.

strobe · 07-05-2010 12:25AM

SV wrote: »

they don't work.
All of the 'situations' they show are down to stupid fúcking driving and not speeding

Ehhh.....but he just said that they did work on him. I mean you quoted him where he said that. I'm hugely confused Ted.

Tefral · 07-05-2010 12:25AM

Ive driven modified cars all my life and these cars are aimed squarely at young people, particularly the profile i fit into.

These ads do sweet **** all to change my mind about my attitude to the road.

Ive even helped a Limerick based traffic corps Garda help write an ad. They kept going back to this ****, i had to bascially spell out the fact that no-one actually listens to them at all. He conceeded the point eventually.

Theres one i have seen a few times in the Cinema, some young ones going at it in the back of a saxo or a 206 and its about young fellas finishing too fast, ive never heard so many people laugh, including those who the ads are aimed at.

The RSA would want to get their heads out of the clouds.

If they want to make ads, make one about not hogging the overtaking lane, or of all the pot holes and stupid roads in this country.. That will save lives

SV · 07-05-2010 12:25AM

Dudess wrote: »

I wouldn't say I like them more - they're exceptionally harrowing also - but I think they convey the message better, rather than being arguably OTT "violence porn".

Well yeah I just didn't know how to put it

Yeah, fully agree with you on this one.

strobe wrote: »

Ehhh.....but he just said that they did work on him. I mean you quoted him where he said that. I'm hugely confused Ted.

lol, yeah I realise that..
he doesn't drive though so it's impossible to know if it did or not.

dr.bollocko · 07-05-2010 12:26AM

TBH I don't get into a car unless I'm wearing a ring cursed by voldemort.

jaffa20 · 07-05-2010 12:30AM

Jeebus wrote: »

I seriously wish they would stop showing it. Its horrific.

.

That's is the aim of the ad. To shock and make you think about what could be done to prevent it.

Mr Benevolent · 07-05-2010 12:31AM

dr.bollocko wrote: »

TBH I don't get into a car unless I'm wearing a ring cursed by voldemort.

Happy 15,000th post. Or something.

--LOS-- · 07-05-2010 12:36AM

Some serious ad fails, what about that drinking one they're showing the whole time now, sorry but there's a laughing cue and you expect me not to laugh

MistyCheese · 07-05-2010 12:42AM

But very few people have the ad in their head when they're racing down the badly-lit, potholed road, late for something or other, and decide to take a chance and overtake even though it might not be entirely safe and the person who they're talking to on the phone is yelling at them, telling them that they're late.

Just like when I'm in a supermarket and am trying to decide what cereal to buy. I don't think "Hmm, the ad for this one said it was 'wholesomely delicious' but the ad for this one said it was 'deliciously wholesome.' But they bought taste like carbdoard. I think I'll just get the sugar-coated, sugar-filled pieces of sugar one."

By the same token, have you ever picked up a product that you've had before and know you like, but suddenly remembered that the ad for it was a piece of piss and so put the product back?

Jeebus · 07-05-2010 12:43AM

jaffa20 wrote: »

That's is the aim of the ad. To shock and make you think about what could be done to prevent it.

To be honest it just annoys me and makes me change over to The Simpsons for ten seconds, only to see that that is ****e, forget why I changed over in the first place, and move back to the original channel.

Also, having seen an astounding amount of sexual acts involving cups and multitudes of people, nothing really shocks me anymore. It's more kind of...silent disappointment.

Jeebus · 07-05-2010 12:46AM

starbelgrade wrote: »

There is a current advertising campaign on RTE, showing people the correct lane to use when approaching a roundabout, though I don't think anyone pays a blind bit of attention to it, judging by the idiotic use of roundabouts in Ireland.

The other ads are more noticable - which is a point proven by your post (seeing as you never noticed the informative ads, but only the others)

To be honest with you, I have just never seen that ad on television - I think lately they have been plugging the gore ones quite a bit.

I get what you're saying, I just think there are better ways of getting the message across !

jaffa20 · 07-05-2010 12:48AM

Jeebus wrote: »

To be honest it just annoys me and makes me change over to The Simpsons for ten seconds, only to see that that is ****e, forget why I changed over in the first place, and move back to the original channel.

Also, having seen an astounding amount of sexual acts involving cups and multitudes of people, nothing really shocks me anymore. It's more kind of...silent disappointment.

Well that's your personal opinion and i suppose there are too many ads out there associated with the danger of speed or drink and driving wheras ads to do with basic rules or the road, eg motorway driving would be more beneficial considering the state or irish drivers.

But even if it does mean nothing to you, it may shock others and as a result, save a few lifes on our roads.

starbelgrade · 07-05-2010 12:52AM

Jeebus wrote: »

To be honest with you, I have just never seen that ad on television - I think lately they have been plugging the gore ones quite a bit.

I get what you're saying, I just think there are better ways of getting the message across !

Well, they have the gorey ads & they have the "rules of the road" style informative ads & neither of them are all that effective.

A bit more policing & enforcement would go a long way to stop the likes of tailgaiting, driving well below the speed limits & not pulling over to let the convoy of 100 cars behind you get past, using the overtaking lane as a normal lane etc etc etc

Penalty points get the message across pretty sharpish.

stovelid · 07-05-2010 12:56AM

Dunno if anybody has mentioned it already but there is one for speeding where a guy keeps imaging he sees the body of a toddler that he jss knocked down?

Very distributing.

I hate all the other corny ones: the car crash and the lovers on the wall etc.

Bodhisopha · 07-05-2010 02:54AM

Some have worked on me and i'm sure they work on others so... if they save lives that way, i could care less about the "happiness being drained out of your room".

I only need to see them once, i see them come on again i switch instantly but am reminded of the message.

Einhard · 07-05-2010 03:13AM

The power of most ads is subliminal. When you see an ad for washing powder, the point isn't to have you run out the door and buy that product over another. But it does bury the idea in your head. Similarly, the Speed/Drink Drive ads are designed to bring about a longterm shift in habits, rather than an instantaneous reversal in attitude. The people who say they have no impact on them are missing the point of advertising.

Also, I've read before that when these type of ads were shown in some Australian states, the number of deaths did decline. Admittedly, the ads were part of a larger road safety campaign, but the international evidence nevertheless indicates that they have a positive impact.

sam34 · 07-05-2010 05:36AM

i hate the one with teh footballer who went drink driving and ended up in a wheelchair

for some reason i just get annoyed by it, without stopping to think what teh actual message is

but all the other victim ones/family ones/doctor ones are v effective imo, far more so thn teh "do it to me one more time" one

Funkstard · 07-05-2010 05:44AM

The campaign on here in Oz at the moment is hilarious. The ads call everyone dickheads and offend everyone from gingers to emos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGgkV033Sos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HWOwLT7S18

shakencat · 07-05-2010 07:11AM

yes the ones you have all mentioned are horrible

but does no one remember the one with the car flipping into a random back garden and killing the little girl in an instant?

my god its hard hitting.

the screams were harrowing.

(excellent ads mind you, but ireland has the least horrific ones,
other countries have much worse, did no one go to the driving school when they were younger and were shown videos from around the world?!)

Dravokivich · 07-05-2010 08:39AM

shakencat wrote: »

did no one go to the driving school when they were younger and were shown videos from around the world?!

We have a "Driving School" in Ireland?

I thought it was just a bunch of private instructors...

seamus · 07-05-2010 09:33AM

The problem is that they go for the shock and awe factor to the point where the "story" isn't all that believable. The ad where the guy gets pinned against the wall - well that's just bad luck. The odds of something like that occuring are staggering. The only good thing about that ad is the super-hot girl in it.

The footballer one, where he flips into a back garden. Again, totally off the wall.

The original premise on the footballer one is good. He has a good day, a couple of pints to celebrate and gets distracted on the drive home, clipping a kerb. All good here, very likely thing to happen. Now, instead of something as absurd as flipping the car into a back garden, why not something realistic like losing control, pulling across oncoming traffic and plowing head-on into something else, killing himself and 3 other people?

And why, oh why, does the driver always seem to live? Why is it about, "How ashamed would you be?". Why isn't the message, "You are going to fncking die and your family will be devastated". There's nothing most of us fear more than our own mortality, so a graphic rendition of our brutal death will be far more effective than some threat of public humiliation or high insurance premiums.

Of all the traffic ads I've ever seen, the most effective/memorable one is the mobile phone one - where the screen is split, wife on one side talking to her husband on the phone while he's driving. It's very simple, but it focusses on the physical consequences for the driver, which is what we really care about.

That one road safety ad.

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