ISBN 0 7559 1165 2 (Web only publication)
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Campaign overview
- Research has shown that inappropriate and excessive speed plays a major factor in one third of vehicle accidents 1. Reducing incidence of speeding requires a combination of education and enforcement.
- Launched in November 1998, the Foolsspeed advertising campaign is designed to reduce urban speeding in Scotland. It is designed around the psychological model, 'The Theory of Planned Behaviour'. This model suggests that because the majority of the audience will never have, or witness, a serious accident they are likely to disassociate themselves from advertising that features graphics incidents.
- Three Foolsspeed commercials ('Simon Says', 'Mirror' and 'Friends & Family'), were broadcast in 2003 and 2004 using a 'drip' campaign strategy, running from 18 August - 31 August 2003 (Phase 1) and September 2003 - March 2004 (Phase 2).
- Following Phase 2, research was conducted to evaluate awareness of the Foolsspeed Campaign (29 March - 5 April 2004).
Highlights
- 57% of respondents (overall) said they had seen advertising about speeding recently
- The core media targeting for the Foolsspeed campaign in 2003/04 was 25 - 44 year olds, with an emphasis on the older end of this spectrum. When respondents were asked if they were aware of any advertising about speeding, 72% of those in the age group 35 - 44 responded that they were indeed aware.
- 75% were unsure about what the name of the campaign was.
TV EXECUTIONS AS AT APRIL 2004:
At the time of research, three Foolsspeed TV executions had been aired. Each one is designed to address an individual component of the Theory of Planned Behaviour:
1) Mirror launched in Spring 1999 challenges beliefs that are commonly held by drivers "I'm a better driver than others on the road, I can handle speed".
2) Friends & Family launched in Spring 2000 focuses on the idea of normative beliefs and the influence significant others exert on driving behaviour.
3) Simon Says launched in Summer 2001 showed how drivers allow themselves to be "pushed" along and pressurised by other drivers on the road. The advert challenges drivers to take control and not allow others to control their speed.
1 In 2002, 116,047 speeding offences in Scotland accounted for 34% of motor vehicle offences recorded by the police (www.srsc.org.uk).