An UnXpected approach to road safety

Men aged 17-24 are four times more likely to be killed or seriously injured and speeding is the biggest contributing factor. Our challenge was to connect authentically with these men and make them rethink their speed and adopt safer behaviours while driving.

Our solution: Unexpected FM, using the tropes of pirate radio stations to disrupt in-car audio feeds at scale. By playfully raising serious issues in moments that mattered – through in-car, sequential, and dynamic targeting based on weather cues – we prompted real behaviour change. Knowing how ad adverse this audience is, we worked with Global and agency partners to get the tone and the content just right so presenters felt relatable. Rather than speaking as the Department for Transport, we used authentic voices to create real points of connection. The impact? Perceptions of risk and unacceptability soared to a five-year high, and most importantly, 42% of the audience exposed to the ad said that they had modified their behaviour in regards to speeding as a result.