A team of six George Mason University students created a social media test campaign against texting and driving. With a goal of receiving at least 100 pledges to not text and drive over Thanksgiving break from Mason students, the team created social media graphics for Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to spread their message. This is their final report.
3. 100
PLEDGES WAS
THE GOAL
213PEOPLE PLEDGED
3
WEEK TEST
CAMPAIGN
60 +
POSTS ON
SOCIAL MEDIA
~ 30,000 +
POST
IMPRESSIONS
ABOUT
BY THE NUMBERS
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4. OUR TEST CAMPAIGN
THE PROBLEM
- IN A 2012 UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN STUDY, 26 PERCENT OF
STUDENTS ADMITTED TO READING OR SENDING A TEXT AT
LEAST ONCE EVERY TIME THAT THEY DRIVE.
- IN RECENT YEARS, ESTIMATES SHOW THAT 5,700 TEENAGERS
WERE KILLED IN CAR CRASHES, ~3000 OF THOSE DEATHS
WERE THE RESULT OF TEXTING AND DRIVING.
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5. STUDIES HAVE SHOWN
THAT 80% OF COLLEGE
STUDENTS TEXT AND
DRIVE
OUR TEST CAMPAIGN
THE PROBLEM
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6. RESEARCH. THE HEART
OF PUBLIC RELATIONS
LOCAL STATE NATIONAL
OUR TEST CAMPAIGN
SECONDARY RESEARCH
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7. LOCAL
IN 2016, 13,000 DRIVERS RECEIVED TICKETS FOR TEXTING
AND DRIVING IN FAIRFAX COUNTY.
WHILE SENDING OR READING A TEXT MESSAGE, DRIVERS
TAKE THEIR EYES OFF THE ROAD FOR FIVE SECONDS.
OUR TEST CAMPAIGN
SECONDARY RESEARCH
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8. STATE
IN 2019, VIRGINIA LAWMAKERS TIGHTENED RESTRICTIONS
AGAINST USE OF PHONES WHILE DRIVING.
- FEBRUARY 2019: USE OF HANDHELD MOBILE DEVICES
WHILE DRIVING IS BANNED.
- DRIVERS CAN UTILIZE THEIR PHONES TO USE CERTAIN
FEATURES, SUCH AS A GPS.
OUR TEST CAMPAIGN
SECONDARY RESEARCH
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9. NATIONAL
CORPORATIONS STARTED DISTRACTED DRIVING CAMPAIGN, SUCH
AS AT&T'S IT CAN WAIT.
- NINE OUT OF 10 PEOPLE USE THEIR SMARTPHONE WHILE
DRIVING.
- 81 PERCENT OF PEOPLE SAY THEY TEXT AND DRIVE
- 57 PERCENT OF PEOPLE ARE MORE LIKELY TO STOP
DRIVING DISTRACTED IF PRESSURED BY A FRIEND OR
PASSENGER.
OUR TEST CAMPAIGN
SECONDARY RESEARCH
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10. THE GOAL OF THE CAMPAIGN IS TO CONVINCE
MASON STUDENTS THAT TEXTING AND DRIVING
IS A TOXIC BEHAVIOR, SO WE SHOULD RID THE
STREETS OF DRIVERS WHO TEXT AND DRIVING.
CONVINCE GEORGE MASON STUDENTS DRIVING
HOME FOR THANKSGIVING WEEKEND TO COMMIT
NOT TO TEXT AND DRIVE DURING THANKSGIVING
LONG WEEKEND BY SIGNING A PLEDGE.
OUR TEST CAMPAIGN
LONG TERM GOAL
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11. GAIN 100 COMMITMENTS THROUGH THE PLEDGE
FROM MASON STUDENTS TO NOT TEXT AND
DRIVE DURING THE THANKSGIVING WEEKEND
FROM NOV. 27 THROUGH DEC. 1.
OUR TEST CAMPAIGN
THE OBJECTIVE
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12. OUR TEST CAMPAIGN
STRATEGIES
- PRIMARY RESEARCH SHOWED MASON STUDENTS
ARE MORE LIKELY TO PUT THEIR PHONES DOWN
WHILE DRIVING IF OTHERS ARE IN THE CAR WITH
THEM.
- TO REMIND DRIVERS THAT ALTHOUGH YOU MIGHT
BE ALONE IN A VEHICLE, YOU ARE SURROUNDED
BY LOVED ONES.
- PEER PRESSURE WAS THE KEY COMPONENT OF
THE MESSAGE STRATEGY FOR THE TEST
CAMPAIGN.
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22. •SOCIAL CURRENCY
• “I DRIVE FOR…” VIDEO (15 GEORGE MASON
STUDENTS)
• THANKSGIVING BREAK
•EMOTION
• FRIENDS, FAMILY, HOLIDAY
• SHOCKING STATISTICS
•PUBLICITY
• PLEDGE
• VIDEO
• POSTING ON PERSONAL ACCOUNTS
OUR TEST CAMPAIGN
STEPPS
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23. 1. CONSTANT COMMUNICATION IS KEY
2. HAVE A DETAIL PLAN - AND FOLLOW IT
3. HOLD OTHERS ACCOUNTABLE
4. FOCUS THE CONVERSATION
5. FIND AND USE YOUR ADVANTAGES
6. PARTNER WITH ORGANIZATIONS
OUR TEST CAMPAIGN
LESSONS LEARNED
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