NHTSA, Tombras Don't Want Emojis To Ruin Your Life

You may not know this but April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. And the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and its agency The Tombras Group are spending $5 million to launch a new multi-faceted campaign related to safe driving. 

The broadcast campaign, “U Drive. U Text. U Pay,” and the digital video “You’re Texting. You’re Not Driving," instructs drivers - particularly Millennials - to focus while they're behind the wheel. The campaign's cornerstone is a video that tells the story of a young lady through various emojis that results in what is meant to be a shocking end. 

The commercial can be seen here.

This emoji video will run on a wide variety of online platforms including BuzzFeed, Evolve, DEFY Media, Discovery Digital, Twitter and others.

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Additionally, the campaign – using both English and Spanish language television advertising – will include radio, digital, and social media components to remind the public that law enforcement nationwide will be enforcing texting and other distracted driving laws. Drivers are encouraged to join the conversation by using the hashtag #justdrive.

Shock and awe advertising works to bring attention to this matter. Last year's TV spot, also created by Tombras, showed a car full of young adults running a stop sign and being brutally hit by a large truck, and it received several awards. 

 

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