Changing ingrained behaviors is one of the biggest challenges in marketing, especially when it involves something as personal and emotional as the way we drive. In 2014, the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA), in partnership with Clemenger BBDO, launched “Mistakes,” an innovative awareness campaign addressing speeding on the road.
What made this campaign so impactful wasn't just the ccreativity, but the strategy of Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC)behind the scenes. All touchpoints—from video content to social media outreach—worked cohesively to reinforce a single, powerful message: even good drivers make mistakes, and speeding reduces your margin for error.
Instead of pointing fingers or using fear, the campaign encouraged empathy and reflection. And using the CIM as a foundation, he ensured that the message reached the audience in a way coherent and emotionally compelling, across all platforms and over time.
This article is the last in our series on Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC), based on the information in the book *Integrated Marketing Communications: A Global Brand-Driven Approach* by Philip J. Kitchen and Marwa E. Tourky.
The Power of Reinvention
"Mistakes”stood out because" redefined acceleration as a topic of conversation.
The key creative decisions included:
- A movie scene in which time stops just before an accident, allowing two drivers to Discuss it calmly the tragic outcome.
- A message from shared humanity: “Other people make mistakes. Take it easy.”.
- A emotional narrative which took even the most defensive drivers by surprise.
When aligning the messages across all media (social, digital, social media, and traditional media), the CIM strategy ensured that the story was heard, felt, and shared.
Results that speak for themselves
The campaign didn't just go viral; it changed attitudes and saved lives.
Media and Public Engagement:
- More than 12 million views on YouTube
- Thousands of positive and heartfelt comments
- Featured by TED as one of the ten “Ads Worth Spreading” worldwide
- Translated and adapted in countries such as France, Italy, and Australia
Behavioral and social impact:
- 73% of viewers reported a change in attitude toward speeding
- A 0.4 km/h decrease in average speed on open roads
- Estimated reduction in social costs in the first year: $46 million
- ROI: a return of five dollars for every dollar spent
Why Did This BMI Campaign Work?
The “Mistakes”was successful because of its Seamless integration of messages, media, and emotions.
Key factors in CIM's success:
- Unified Messaging: Tom and consistent narratives on all platforms.
- Public perception: He acknowledged people's belief that they are “good drivers” rather than challenging them.
- Emotional narrative: He encouraged self-reflection without assigning blame.
- Multichannel amplification: Shared organically and covered by news agencies around the world.
- Cultural resonance: Easily translated across languages and borders.
Lessons for Marketers and Communicators
This campaign shows what can be achieved when CIM is more than just a buzzword—when it is used to promote strategic clarity, emotional impact, and long-term behavioral change.
Key findings:
- A Reformulation is powerful, especially when it is based on shared human truths.
- CIM guarantees that a great idea—may it reach far and resonate at every point of contact.
- A storytelling Emotional responses lead to advocating for causes, not just raising awareness.
- Major campaigns are local in nature, but global in their potential.
Global influence beyond the briefing
Although it was created for New Zealand, the “Mistakes”quickly became a a global leader in road safety advertising. Translated into more than a dozen languages and replicated in several countries, the campaign proved that, with a CIM base strong, a A single idea can travel around the world.