A panel of 250 international judges has awarded the Sussex Safer Roads Partnership’s Embrace Life seat belt campaign a Gold World Medal at the New York Festival International Advertising Awards.
Embrace Life has been feted globally for its innovative and emotional approach to a well trodden safety message.
The advert was created as a low budget pilot that aimed to try a new and more positive approach to getting road safety messages across. It rose to success across the globe when it was released onto YouTube in February 2010, culminating in its nomination at the New York Festival International Advertising Awards.
Embrace Life went up against full budget adverts from across the globe but managed to leave with the highest honour.
The Sunday Mirror has asked if it is ‘the best road safety film ever’ and the Sunday Express suggested that Embrace Life is ‘the best advert ever’. The New York Daily News also proclaimed that the campaign was ‘a breath of fresh air’.
Neil Hopkins, communications manager for the Sussex Safer Roads Partnership, said: “Being given a Gold World Medal, against competition from world-class agencies is a true testament to the skill and creativity shown by Daniel Cox, our writer/director, and Sarah Alexander, Embrace Life’s producer. I am naturally delighted that our campaign – originally created to create behavioural change in Sussex motorists – has been so highly commended.
At the time of writing, Embrace Life has been viewed 8.597 million times on YouTube, and 3.859 million times through its dedicated website.
Contact Neil Hopkins for more information about the campaign.
Nice piece of film but has there been any evaluation into how this has changed behaviour? ie a measure of the seatbelt problem before and how successful this has been to change motorists behaviour as surely this is the ultimate objective?
Vicki, Midlands
0
Congratulations! This is very well deserved. You took away the ‘shock’ factor and turned important road safety advice into something truly beautiful. What’s next then?!
Jackie Willis, Dereham, Norfolk
0
This is fantastic.
I first saw it at a conference and its impact was amazing. Since then several people have enthused about it, including friends of my teenage son.
It is a credit to everyone involved, congratulations for your well deserved award.
Ian Procter, Kent
0
January or February? Who cares? A Gold Medal is still a Gold Medal and deserves praise. From experience, I know how much time, effort and talent must have gone into this so when the accolade arrives it is intoxicating. Enjoy the moment Neil, the award is impressive.
Roy Buchanan Sutton
0
It was released on to YouTube in January, not February – check out the upload date on the YouTube page. This wrong information came from SSRP’s own press release – not very impressive, Neil!
Bill Gaumont, London
0