Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning

Client: Office of Highway Safety
Project: Media Campaign
Date: May 12, 2008 - May 25, 2008

Challenge:
For 2-weeks in May 2008, the client goal was to reach young men in Michigan with the safety belt message that if they don't buckle up, they will get a ticket and have to pay a hefty fine. Yet, successfully targeting young males is a feat in itself. They are a demo resistant to such a message and set in their ways - including their media choices that differ in many respects versus demos such as young women, adults, and even older men. Not only does the media research for this particular demo require a keen understanding of their respective media consumption patterns, it also requires unearthing non-traditional techniques in order to build the necessary reach and frequency of message to deliver on the campaign goals.

Objective:
To build a media strategy that reaches men 18-34 in Michigan with the necessary frequency to create a positive safety belt behavior change.

Results:
At home, online, while in their car, at a sporting event, at the movies, even out-and-about, for two weeks young males in Michigan couldn't go without seeing or hearing the safety belt message. The media mix was comprised of many facets including broadcast and cable television, radio, Fox Sports Net (FSN), interactive, and non-traditional advertising such as projection and cinema. The agency extended the budget as it acquired 41% of radio budget in value-add, use of Comerica Park for the press conference, sponsorships, additional spots for television and cable, and value-add online impressions. Michigan's Seat Belt use rate stood at 97.2% - the highest in the nation and a record high for the state.