Clemenger BBDO launched the second phase of its “Towards Zero” campaign for the Victorian Transport Accident Commission with “Then and Now,” which looks back at the 1994 TAC PSA “Kombi” and examines how improvements in road safety could have changed the outcome of that ad.
“Phase one of the campaign ‘There’s no one someone won’t miss’ got Victoria to rally behind the Towards Zero vision,” explained Clemenger BBDO Melbourne creative director Stephen de Wolf Phase two’s purpose is to demonstrate how we’ll get there.”
“Then and Now” takes an unusual approach, opening with a split screen, with the original “Kombi” ad on the left and a remade version placing its action in the present day on the right. The right half of the screen then blacks out as the original plays out to its conclusion, with a tired driver veering to the wrong side of the road and colliding with a truck. After the action concludes, the right side of the screen resumes, showing how modern advances help prevent the tragic accident. “While we’ve come a long way, we’ll always make mistakes. But with safer cars, roads, speeds and people, we can change road safety for good,” concludes the voiceover.
Of course, unorthodox driver safety PSAs are nothing new for Clemenger BBDO, as the agency has consistently made interesting work in the category, such as “Strings,” “Local Legends” and “Mistakes.”
Credits:
TAC
Manager, Road Safety – Sam Cockfield
Manager, Technical & Policy, Road Safety – Jessica Truong
Marketing Manager, Community Relations – Jodi Gubana
Project Manager, Community Relations – Cherie McMahon
Clemenger BBDO Melbourne
Creative Chairman James McGrath
Executive Creative Director Ant Keogh
Creative Director Stephen de Wolf
Art Director Jackson Harper
Copywriter Shannon Crowe
Managing Partner Lee Simpson
Group Account Director Naomi Gorringe
Account Director Kate Joiner
Account Manager Pat Nally
Executive Producer, TV Sonia Von Bibra
Senior Agency Producer TV Emma Johnson
Senior Agency Producer Digital Ben Crowe
Agency Producer, Print Nicholas Short
Senior Planner Matt Pearce
Director of Design Jake Turnbull
Production
Director Bruce Hunt
Producer Catherine Jarman
Executive Producer Michael Ritchie
DOP/Cinematographer Ross Emery
Production Company Revolver
Editor Seth Lockwood
Flame Artist Heather Galvin
Colour Grade Edel Rafferty
Post-Production Producer Olivia Carolan
Post Production Company Method Studios
Sound Engineer Paul le Couteur
Sound House Flagstaff Studios
Original Kombi ad
Director Mat Humphrey, Great Southern Films
Agency Grey Melbourne