A new national campaign from Partnership for a Drug-Free Canada (PDFC) aims to raise awareness about the dangers of driving while high.
The pro bono campaign, created by Ottawa-based Banfield Agency, centres on the question “What are you saying if you don’t say anything?” The aim is remind parents that silence can be deadly and encourage them to talk to their teens and drug-impaired driving.
The campaign is a follow-up to an animated PSA the organization launched last February. The spot, created by BBDO Toronto, also focused on the dangers of driving while under the influence of drugs.
“This year, we’re using real people, and one of the mandates we gave to the agency was to try to humanize our message a bit more,” said PDFC executive director Marc Paris. “A lot of our ads have used research results to get people to pay attention by giving them some shocking numbers… This time, we want to get parents to actually engage in those conversations.”
Television, radio, web and print ads feature parents and their teens having an unspoken conversation while absorbed in day-to-day activities. The idea is to illustrate that not talking about the risks of high driving will lead teens to draw their own conclusions, including that their parents approve of it, said Paris.
PDFC has more than 40 media partners that provide the organization with $1.2 million worth of media time and space for one month, including Rogers, Bell and Shaw.
PDFC has also partnered with H+K Strategies’ Montreal office, which will provide pro bono public relations support. Dimitri Gourdin, senior vice-president and general manager at H+K Montreal, has also joined the PDFC’s board of directors.
“Quite frankly, we’ve been struggling to try to find a public relations firm willing to take us on as a pro bono account,” said Paris. “H+K is a fabulous shop and obviously top notch, so we’re very happy with the partnership.”
Paris said H+K will help PDFC build brand recognition and help spread its message beyond traditional media.
