Desperate measures called for

Every year around 40,000 new teen drivers are set free onto our roads, but teen car crashes cost NZ around $637 million p.a. The ACC and NZTA Practice website, launched in 2009, aims to teach young drivers to drive more safely. And it has been successful – analysis has shown that participants cause fewer crashes.

But by November 2011only 19% of newly-licensed learner drivers were registering, a significant decline from previous years’ averages of around 25%. ACC had to try something new to reach their target for the year of 28% of learner licensed drivers registering on the site. To achieve this target, 36% of learner drivers needed to register over the rest of the government financial year – a huge increase of 89% over the average of the previous six months.

More importantly, the more learner drivers registered, the safer our roads.

After reviewing the Practice contact strategy, new creative was developed and digital added to the mix, the whole being wrapped into a summer promotion. The new messaging focused on benefits, not features: Get your restricted the easy way.

There was a new teen movement around the retro Rat Rod comics so cartoons in the style of Rat Rod meets MAD were created showing desperate measures teens might have to resort to get around if they failed to get their Restricted licence: Cats towing a supermarket trolley; Skateboard hooked up to a lawnmower powered by a dog spinning a wheel. Having captured their attention, the message changed to focus on a simple call to action: Sign up and win 10 cash prizes of $100.

The second tier of the campaign targeted parents/coaches with more straight messages, reinforcing their identity as a good mentor. This creative was unapologetically sensible: Help them pass the easy way.

Results far exceeded expectations against all measures:

• 40% of learner drivers registered during January and February 2012 – 10% over the already high target and over double the registration rate for the previous six months
• Total young driver registrations were up 33% and guide registrations up 37% against the same period the previous year.