The Latest PSAs Developed by Chemistry
Spread Awareness About the Dangers of Pediatric Vehicular
Heatstroke and Remind Parents and Caregivers to Always
"Stop. Look. Lock."
WASHINGTON, May 1, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- This National Heatstroke Prevention Day, the
Ad Council and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA), along with pro bono creative agency Chemistry, debuted a
campaign with new public service advertisements (PSAs) reminding
parents and caregivers of the dangers of hot vehicles. This new
work raises awareness of the issue of hot car deaths and the
circumstances under which it could happen, emphasizing that while
this could happen to anyone, it is always preventable.
"The partnership between the Ad Council and NHTSA has
promoted safety on America's roads for decades, and we are honored
to continue bringing awareness to another critical issue together,"
said Michelle Hillman, chief
campaign development officer, the Ad Council. "Child hot car deaths
are deeply tragic—and they are 100% preventable. With this new
work, we hope to increase parent and caregiver knowledge around the
dangers of heatstroke to help them keep our most precious
passengers safe."
"Hot car deaths are heartbreaking, but they are also
preventable," said NHTSA Deputy Administrator Sophie Shulman. "We are asking all Americans to
understand the risks posed by hot cars and do their part to keep
children safe. When you park Stop. Look. Lock."
Pediatric Vehicular Heatstroke (child hot car deaths) is the
leading cause of non-crash, vehicle-related fatality for kids 14
and younger. The "Never Happens" campaign uses simple beautiful
vignettes of life's imperfect moments to show the many things
parents promise never to do. However, "never" can happen, such as
forgetting a child in a hot car or having a child stuck in a car.
Since cars heat up quickly, the PSAs raise awareness about the
dangers of children being alone in vehicles and encourage all
parents and caregivers to always "Stop. Look. Lock." before walking
away from their vehicle.
"As parents, we say we'll never do a ton of things, but 'never'
happens all the time. To get parents to believe that child hot car
deaths can happen to them, we reminded them of all the other
'nevers' that have already become a reality for them," said
Will Benham, Executive Creative
Director, Chemistry. "We only get a handful of opportunities in our
career to do something this meaningful and creatively fulfilling.
To make work you're really proud of with partners you trust, and
have 'lives saved' as the measure of success, is pretty
unbeatable."
The "Never Happens" PSAs come as temperatures around the country
begin to rise ahead of summer. This campaign leverages a wide array
of assets, including TV, radio, print, outdoor, and digital assets,
available in both English and Spanish. Child hot car deaths have
occurred in nearly every state so the ads will be placed nationally
in donated media, with a focus on the "sunbelt" states where the
majority of pediatric vehicular heatstroke deaths occur.
"As a mother, I strongly identified with the creative and
message," said the PSAs' director Lisa
Rubisch. "I loved how the scripts took a serious subject and
were able to impart a lighthearted approach to make it palatable
and relatable to viewers who might otherwise look away. The agency
and clients were dream collaborators, and I'm really proud of what
we were able to achieve creatively."
According to NHTSA, heat can have devastating effects on
children, as their bodies warm three to five times faster than
adult bodies. If children's body temperatures reach 107 degrees
Fahrenheit or higher, it can be fatal. Hot car deaths can happen in
vehicles parked in shaded areas in temperatures as low as 60
degrees, even with the windows cracked. Heatstroke occurs in three
main scenarios:
- 52.7% of hot car deaths happened because a child is forgotten
in a hot car
- 25.8% of deaths happened because a child gained access to an
unlocked car and became trapped
- 20.1% of deaths happened because a child was left behind in a
vehicle, the parent/caregiver not realizing how quickly internal
car temperatures can rise.
At NHTSA.gov/Heatstroke, parents and caregivers can find
important information about preventing hot car injury and death,
including:
- Locking your car when you aren't using it. Even if you don't
have a child of your own, a child in your neighborhood could get
into your unlocked vehicle.
- Never leaving your child alone in a car, even if you think
you'll only be gone for a minute.
- Rolling down a window does little to keep a vehicle
cool.
- Heatstroke can happen even on a relatively cool day.
- The inside of a vehicle can reach dangerous temperatures in as
little as 10 minutes.
- When you're driving with your child, remember to always look
before you leave your vehicle to make sure your child has been
dropped off at daycare or with a caregiver, not left behind in the
car seat.
- Keep an item in the back seat, like a teddy bear. Put the bear
up front with you when your child is in the car seat to serve as a
reminder. Or, put your purse or phone in the back seat with the
child.
- Some new vehicles come with backseat reminder
technology.
- And if you see a child in distress in a vehicle – ACT. Call 911
immediately and get help.
About the Ad Council
The Ad Council convenes creative storytellers to educate, unite and
uplift audiences by opening hearts, inspiring action and
accelerating change around the most pressing issues in America.
Since the non-profit's founding, the organization and its partners
in advertising, media, marketing and tech have been behind some of
the country's most iconic social impact campaigns – Smokey Bear, A Mind Is a Terrible Thing to
Waste, Love Has No Labels, Tear the Paper Ceiling and many more.
With a current focus on mental health, gun safety, the opioid
epidemic, skill-based hiring and other critical issues, the Ad
Council's national campaigns encompass advertising and media
content, ground game and community efforts, trusted messenger and
influencer engagement, and employer programs, among other
innovative strategies to move the needle on the most important
issues of the day.
To learn more or get involved, visit AdCouncil.org, join the Ad
Council's communities on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X, and
view campaign creative on YouTube.
About Chemistry
Chemistry builds brands with creative
ideas that can't be ignored. The independent agency offers fully
integrated advertising and marketing services for clients like
Netflix, Five Guys, Frontdoor, Beyond Meat, MLS, and the NBA. In
2023 the shop was named an Ad Age A-List Agency, a finalist for
Campaign US' Independent Agency of the Year and Adweek's Midsize
Agency of the Year.
About NHTSA
For more than 50 years, the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) has served as the key federal agency charged
with improving safety on our nation's roadways. As part of the U.S.
Department of Transportation, NHTSA is working to reduce
traffic-related deaths and injuries by promoting the use of seat
belts and child safety seats; helping states and local communities
address the threat of distracted, drunk and drug-impaired drivers;
regulating vehicle safety standards and investigating safety
defects in motor vehicles; establishing and enforcing fuel economy
standards; conducting research on driver behavior and traffic
safety; and providing consumer information on issues ranging from
child passenger safety to impaired driving. For more information
visit www.nhtsa.gov.
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-ad-council-and-nhtsa-launch-new-never-happens-campaign-to-raise-awareness-about-the-issue-of-hot-car-deaths-302132276.html
SOURCE The Ad Council