Road safety : dont be a dickhead Ad .

LaCi - posted on 03/30/2010

I wish we had ads like this in the US. a PSA that doesn't make me fall asleep.

Lisamarie - posted on 03/30/2010

thats a really good idea, Kathy! :)

Kathy - posted on 03/30/2010

Maybe the ad could be sent as a random SMS message to their mobiles?

Lisamarie - posted on 03/30/2010

I'm probably in the minority then, lol, I actually think it's pretty funny, I agree it should not be shown during the day, after 9PM I think is fine. I do think it will help, teenagers swear at eachother and call eachother names all the time, I can actually just imagine a couple of my guy mates getting into the car, one not putting his seatbelt on and the other one saying; "Don't be a dickhead, Paul, put your seatbelt on."

I don't think it will be as effective than the crash one's but surely if this only get's through to a few people that's enough to make it worthwhile?.

Kathy - posted on 03/29/2010

Yes, they'll keep on laughing about it, if they even see it. I love the ad,but don't know that it will work, but it's worth a try.

Rosie - posted on 03/29/2010

i have more of a problem with the finger than i do with the word dickead for some reason. i don't think it's going to work, i know if i saw something like that when i was a teenager i would've laughed my ass of all the while talking on my phone about what a dickhead the narrator guy was. crash scenes, and people talking about lost family members is more effective in my opinion.

Kathy - posted on 03/29/2010

If that's the worst swear word you ever come across you're pretty lucky! And it's not the first time: remember "Drink - drive - bloody idiot" and "Where the bloody hell are you?"



I think the ad is great. It tries to appeal to young people by using their language to get the message across. The government has tried just about everything to fix this tragic problem and nothing has worked. So I really think if using a bit of (relatively mild) language will help, go for it.



But, in all honesty, I don't know if it will work. There seems to be something about speed and alcohol that teenagers are attracted to. I don't know that they watch much TV, but maybe screening these ads later will help. Or put them up on the big screen at pubs.



But we have to keep trying, and if I have to choose between bad language and the death toll on our roads, I'll take the bad language every time!

Kylie - posted on 03/29/2010

Its kind of stupid really.. i think the ad campaigns that will get young people to wear seatbelts are the ones showing what happens in a crash and shows the effects of familys and friends who have lost their kids to road crashes. Don't be a dickhead might get kids talking about the ad but they will probably unbuckle their seat belts and call each other dickheads for fun now. I bet they don't air it before 8.30 at night either so i don't think the swearing is the problem.
That sbs voice over dude must be making a mint i hear his voice everywhere lately:p

Jess - posted on 03/29/2010

There is a time and a place, I think late at night these ads would be ok to run, just like when they run ads for phone sex ! Especially when they go into high schools and talk to the senior grades about driving safely, this ad would be on their level and get their attention. But I can understand the governments frustration with drivers. I work in insurance claims and the amount of fatalities we see because of 1 person's poor judement, it just makes you sick ! No phone call is worth someone's life. I think we need tougher punishments to get the message across that this bad behaviour won't be tolerated.

Cassie - posted on 03/29/2010

I personally find it to be inappropriate. These ads could be viewed by any person, including children. I would personally be very frustrated if I were the parent of a toddler who picked this word up from simply seeing it on a commercial.



I understand that we can not shelter our children from everything and should teach them about what is appropriate language for children vs adults but I don't think the government should be putting out a message like this. Society as a whole has been on a downward slippery slope and this just adds to the slide in our overall morals about what is acceptable.