Motorcyclists – a high priority for the THINK! campaign

Reducing the rising casualty numbers among motorcyclists is a high priority for all road safety professionals, and the THINK! campaign team is constantly seeking innovative but cost-effective ways to reach this target audience. In this feature we look at some of the new methods the team is employing as the team sets about this challenging task.

Leisure riders – the new challenge
The ‘urban commuter’ campaign, which centres on TV advertising, has been running since 2001.

But with 347 riders killed and 2,464 seriously injured in 2002 on non-built up and ‘B’ roads, the ‘leisure rider’ presents a new, stiff challenge. The THINK! team has developed a new campaign targeting this group, after consultation with a wide group of stakeholders.

Currently the highest profile activity in this new campaign is sponsorship of the 2004 British Superbikes (BSB) Championship. The deal includes title sponsorship in all British Superbikes communications, trackside advertising hoardings, live event marketing at each race (in conjunction with the Police Bikesafe initiative and local authority road safety teams), and access to British Superbike riders for both national and local publicity events.

"The sponsorship brings significant television coverage on both Sky and BBC’s Grandstand programme, and - in partnership with Bikesafe – enables us to promote skills assessment schemes to riders at BSB events," says Britta Priebe, publicity manager with the THINK! team. "We have also signed leading BSB rider John Reynolds as an independent spokesman for the THINK! campaign and use him and our association with BSB to target the motorcycling press."

In addition, a press advertisement that strengthens the partnership between the BSB Championships and THINK!, and reminds riders to ‘save racing for the track’ will run in a number of specialist biking magazines in July and August.

"The results of the BSB sponsorship have been excellent to date, with an average of 700,000 viewers per race being exposed to THINK! branding on the track, bikes, podium and via the race commentary," Britta Priebe adds. "In addition, John Reynolds will promote the Bikesafe skills assessment by going through the assessment himself later in the summer. In PR terms this will be presented as a feature for magazines aimed at leisure riders."

The urban environment
Meanwhile, back in the urban environment - where 242 riders were killed and 4,287 seriously injured in 2002 – the campaign urges riders and drivers to ‘look out for each other’. The ‘Mirror’ television commercial is shown over Bank Holiday weekends, and is supported by posters and leaflets targeting both drivers and motorcyclists. The ‘Are you up to scratch?’ leaflet and poster have been updated and are now carry the new ‘Take control’ message.

"In PR terms the urban message lends itself well to features in the lifestyle media including motoring sections of newspapers and men's magazines," Britta Priebe explains. "Publicity across summer 2004 has been designed around the ‘learning from each other’ theme and will feature a ‘celebrity vehicle swap’, with a biker and car driver swapping vehicles for a week.

The new ‘Perfect Day’ safety film will be used for training purposes by police, road safety officers, and other groups at motorcycling events, and will be broadcast on specialist television channels where free airspace is sometimes available.

To order Perfect Day telephone 0870 1226 236 and quote order number TINF915. The new Take Control leaflet and posters can also be ordered by calling the same number and quoting order numbers TINF923(leaflet), TINF924(A4 poster), TINF925 (A3 poster), and TINF926(A2 poster).

Summary: Target audiences and key messages

Timings
The following is a broad outline of when campaign activity will take place for the rest of the 2004/05 financial year. However, these plans may well be subject to change, and road safety professionals should check the THINK! website, www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk, for the latest details.

June 2004
6 June BSB Rounds 11 & 12 - Thruxton
20 June BSB Rounds 13 & 14 - Brands Hatch

July 2004
4 BSB Rounds 15 & 16 - Knockhill
18 BSB Rounds 17 & 18 - Mallory Park
THINK! advertising in motorcycling magazines

August 2004
15 BSB Rounds 19 & 20 - Croft
27-31 THINK! TV advertising
30 BSB Rounds 21 & 22 - Cadwell Park
THINK! advertising in motorcycling magazines

September 2004
12 BSB Rounds 23 & 24 - Oulton Park
19 BSB Rounds 25 & 26 - Donington Park
THINK! advertising in motorcycling magazines

February 2005
11-14 THINK! TV advertising.