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Presentation

AA Charitable Trust for Road Safety and the Environment Registered Charity 1125119

#Thinkbikes

Edmund King, AA presidentVisiting professor Newcastle University

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Presentation

AA Charitable Trust for Road Safety and the Environment Registered Charity 1125119

#Thinkbikes

- Insight into engaging with media to develop effective road safety campaigns.

- Example of the AA Trust’s Think Bikes Campaign.

- Show how a simple idea about motorcycle safety turned into award winning campaign about cycle/motorcycle safety

- Using both traditional and social media, video, celebrities and politicians.

- Taking some risks along the way. 

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AA Charitable Trust for Road Safety and the Environment Registered Charity 1125119

#Thinkbikes WHY?Failure to look properly is the most commonly cited (42%) contributory factor in UK road accidents .

In 2013 the number of fatalities fell to 1,713 but 331 motorcycle deaths (up 1%) and 109 pedal cyclist deaths (down 8%). 25% deaths on two wheels.

Motorcyclists make up just 1% of traffic but 19% of all fatalities. They are 55 times more likely than car drivers to be killed or seriously hurt in an accident.

Nine out of ten drivers (93%) admit it is sometimes hard to see cyclists while driving.

85% say it is hard to see motorcyclists.

More than half (55%) are often ‘surprised when a cyclist appears from nowhere’.(AA Populus poll 17,629 drivers )

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AA Charitable Trust for Road Safety and the Environment Registered Charity 1125119

#Thinkbikes InspirationAA Trust agreed on a campaign.

Original sticker concept came from Tony Rich, AA Patrol of the Year, after his friend, Jack Bellis, was killed in a motorcycle crash.

Campaigning planning is vital. Need approval and support.Do your groundwork. Two Tribes presentation. AA Driving School.AA Populus researchDFT approval (MOT)Secretary of StatePolice (changing places)Cycle groups (CTC, British Cycling, Carlton Reid)Motorcycle groups (MCIA, MAG)BorisVenue for launch – Marble Arch

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Needed nationwide distribution of stickers.

Halfords CEO, AA renewal packs, fleets

6 million free stickers distributed to drivers as a

reminder to do a ‘double-take’ in their mirrors for

cycles and motorcycles in their blind spots.

Campaign backed by Olympic cyclist and British

Cycling policy adviser Chris Boardman and 20-time

Isle of Man TT winner John McGuiness.

PR and social media awareness campaign,

including YouTube video.

A campaign to remind all drivers to be more aware of those on two wheels

Think Once, Think Twice, Think Bikes

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Self-explanatory sheet of stickers

distributed nationwide through partnership

with Halfords and in renewal packs to AA

Members.

Sent to all staff (including driving

instructors, patrols and direct sales force).

Supplied on request to police forces,

councils, road safety partnerships, fleets

and other third party organisations.

Stickers

Think Once, Think Twice, Think Bikes

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Launch story highlights drivers’ lack of awareness

of those on two wheels based on AA/Populus data.

High-profile launch event held at Marble Arch

London, in association with the Met Police

‘Exchanging Places’ taskforce.

Supportive quotes given by Transport Minister,

ACPO, London Mayor, Motorcycle Industry

Association and British Cycling.

AA president Edmund King, Olympic cyclist Chris

Boardman and 20-time Isle of Man TT winner John

McGuinness gave media interviews.

PR Campaign

Think Once, Think Twice, Think Bikes

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PR campaign

Think Once, Think Twice, Think Bikes

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Wanted to create video to go viral. Plan story board.

Challenge of shooting in London on cold March day with

police outriders.

Video featuring a naked cyclist in London created and

uploaded on YouTube on the morning of the campaign

launch.

Convinced up-and-coming Irish singer, Gavin James, to

allow use of soundtrack free of charge.

Main message of the video: What do cyclists have to do

to get drivers to notice them?

Heavily promoted and used #ThinkBikes on Facebook

and Twitter http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=AlGmiHKCDI4

Social Media: Now You See Me

Think Once, Think Twice, Think Bikes

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High profile support from Chris Boardman and John

McGuinness representing British Cycling and the

Motorcycle Industry Association.

Campaign supported by the Transport Secretary, Road

Safety Minister, Department for Transport, Police, Mayor

of London Boris Johnson and a host of cycling and

freight groups.

The launch budget was £50,000 (£30,000 for the YouTube

video and £20,000 for the design, printing and

distribution of the initial print run of 1 million stickers).

In-house AA team.

Support and Resources

Think Once, Think Twice, Think Bikes

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More than 50 pieces of media coverage of the launch

across national and regional print, online and broadcast

media.

More than 250,000 views of ‘Now You See Me’ on

YouTube from UK, USA, Canada, Australia to Cambodia

and UAE.

Tweets and retweets from @TheAA_UK and

@AAPresident had the potential to reach an additional

773,113 users on launch.

6 million stickers distributed: AA members, 5 police

forces, Herts Fire & Rescue, Driving Instructors

Association, Balfour Beatty, Npower, Tenn Outdoors,

DHL, Sustrans, Arriva, local authorities.

Video shown at Transport meeting of the United Nations

Results

Think Once, Think Twice, Think Bikes

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Didn’t anticipate how popular the stickers would be and

meant we had to do a second print run soon after the

launch.

The power of sharing the video on social media helped

spread the word globally. Being daring or cheeky helped

the video.

Do your homework. Checking legality with DFT and

support from partners.

Preview in The Times linked to Cities Fit for Cycling and

follow up in Cycle Guy column in Sunday Times.

Think Once, Think Twice, Think Bikes is not a one-off

activity. We will continue to develop and promote the

campaign.

Learning points and future

Think Once, Think Twice, Think Bikes

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 FIA Region I prepares 'Think Bikes' campaign for members

FIA Region I is preparing a communications package for members based on the AA UK’s campaign ‘Think Bikes’, winner of the 2013 Innovation Award. The package will contain:an animation that stresses the importance of checking for bikes and scootersa press release/article to describe the campaigna ‘how to’ guide for creating an event and campaign around bike safetystickersinfographicsrelated materials from the AA campaign 

Think Once, Think Twice, Think Bikes

                                                                                                                                                         

       

                                                

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Think Bikes campaign won the FIA International

Innovation Award

Won ACFO Fleet Safety Initiative Award for 2014

The campaign was short-listed finalist for ‘Best Cycling

Campaign’ in Cycling Media Awards supported by

BikeBiz’s publisher Intent Media.

Positioned AA well with cycling and motorcycle groups.

Raised awareness of an important safety issue with

drivers.

Campaign to be replicated across Europe.

Outcomes & Awards

Think Once, Think Twice, Think Bikes

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Bare truth: AA puts naked man on a bike to raise awareness of cyclist road safety

Is this the most genius road safety campaign ever?

Cycling groups welcome AA’s Think Bike campaign

Thank you