In New Zealand where around 90 people die every year because of not wearing a seatbelt. Faced with an audience that doesn’t see the point of wearing them, BBDO Clemenger‘s latest campaign for NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) shifts the perception of this “optional accessory” to a life-saving necessity. As testament to the importance of “Belting Up“, 10 Kiwi men pose as heroes –bruises and all– to emphasize the necessity of the seatbelt.
The campaign started with a public call-out to find real Kiwi men with their own stories of survival, thanks to a seatbelt. Hundreds responded, and ten were chosen to step in front of the camera to have their real injuries recreated and their stories shared.
Their injuries vary, but all ten are united by the mark of their seatbelt: a short-term physical bruise, or sometimes scar, that has had a long-lasting impact on their lives. A physical reminder that they made the right call to wear a seatbelt and survived because of it.
To ensure their injuries were recreated as accurately as possible, the survivors provided personal photos taken in the days after their crashes to use a reference. The special effects make-up team also worked closely with Dr. Natasha McKay, an Emergency Medicine Specialist who lent her expertise to the campaign. She confirms: “A seatbelt really does leave a mark like this. They will save your life, but they will leave a mark to show how they’ve done it.”
The images are displayed on billboards near carparks of bars and pubs in towns around NZ, in particular, in the areas where the featured survivors live. Content recreating the injuries can also be found across social media, and in cinemas.
NZTA aims to share more real stories of survival. If a seatbelt has helped you survive and you want to share your story, head on over here.
The NZ Transport Agency works to create transport solutions for all New Zealanders – from helping new drivers earn their licences, to leading safety campaigns to investing in public transport, state highways and local roads.
Credits:
Client: NZ Transport Agency
Creative Agency: Clemenger BBDO
Media Agency: OMD
Photography: Our Production Team
Make-Up SFX: PROFX New Zealand
Retouching: Becci Manson, The Post Office
