Some Things Can’t Be Reversed

Jean Julien from iPub send me this video from the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT, USA). The video shows a reverse filmed accident caused by drunk driving.
I’ve seen that before. I found five other campaign video’s made with the same technique. See them after the break.

The NMDOT advertising campaign coincides with the SuperBlitz which runs throughout the holiday season, beginning on Friday, November 20, 2009 through January 3, 2010.
The Winter Superblitz is an important one because it overlaps with the holidays. Statistics show that alcohol is often a factor in holiday crashes; during last year’s Winter SuperBlitz, 54 people lost their lives in crashes, 19 of those involved drinking and driving.
During the Winter Superblitz the anti-drunk driving campaign will run on TV, radio and billboards.

Examples from the past

The used technique, reverse filming, is often used. The campaign from NMDOT isn’t very original but in this case I don’t mind. It is a good way showing that all traffic accidents have a cause.

TAC / 2008 (Transport Accident Commission Australia)

Rådet for større færdselssikkerhed / 2007 (Danish Road Safety Council)

Think! / 2006 (Department for Transport, UK)

Comments

This may be unoriginal in general, but this is a very atypical style in the United States. We rarely have ads that are remotely this graphic or hard-hitting, most likely for fear of frightening all the “little snowflakes” out there and the resulting complaints from their helicopter parents for daring to show the unpleasant parts of life, therefore destroying their protective bubbles.

We’re somewhat in the Dark Ages when it comes to the media.