2011 Winners & Shortlists

Results and Effectiveness

"Stay Alert, Stay Alive" campaign by BMW Group made front pages of newspapers in UAE, and drew overwhelming public response, with over 5,000 people turning up to Awareness Days, and over 3,600 booster cushions distributed**. More importantly, the campaign proved its credibility, and BMW Group became the first automotive brand to acquire UAE governmental recognition when they were awarded second place in Transport Safety category at the 2011 Dubai Awards for Sustainable Transport (DAST), an annual excellence award ceremony hosted by Dubai Government***. PR media clippings collected added up to an advertising value of over USD 372,526****.

Creative Execution

By partnering up with Road and Transports Authorities in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, BMW Group immediately established its campaign as highly credible. The safety platform was communicated experientially, through a series of public awareness events at parks and major outing areas in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. At these events, people could interact with road safety experts who educated people on road safety, namely the importance of child safety restraints and booster cushions. At public awareness events, safety booster cushions were given out to the public after live demonstrations were conducted: this concretely educated people about road safety, and built a deep connection between the brand and consumers. By educating people and giving away road safety aids, BMW demonstrated its commitment to safe and enjoyable driving. Public awareness was complemented with a hard-hitting integrated campaign spanning radio, SMS and print, alongside a nation-wide PR campaign.

Insights, Strategy and the Idea

UAE is unfortunately known for its appallingly high number of road traffic accidents. Numbers are alarming: road traffic accidents account for 68% of all injury-related deaths, 98% of children in UAE are not restrained in car seats when travelling, and traffic accidents accounted for 63% of all child deaths in the UAE in 2009*. Such shocking figures are counter-balanced by one hopeful figure: 83% of belted and restrained children remain uninjured in accidents*. Despite repeated government initiatives to curb accidents, road safety continues to be a major issue in the UAE. BMW Group felt it was necessary to ensure a joyful, yet safe driving experience for all. Thus, they devised an experiential & integrated campaign educating the UAE consumer and waking them up to the facts of road safety. This established BMW Group Middle East as a strong identity in road safety initiatives.