Is it Worth It? SMARTRISK Social Media and Communication Distracted Driving Campaign

Is it Worth It? Distracted Driving YAB training session in Toronto: SUCCESS

Date: Tuesday, Oct. 25 and Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2011

Where: SMARTRISK Head Office, Toronto, Ontario

Please find below the objectives of our training. The attached document is a post training briefing with all sorts of great information on our project. 

Objectives of Training

• To familiarize students and teachers with the main elements of DDC
• To provide a brief introduction to the what and why of distracted driving
• To work with students to come up with design, messaging, and branding ideas for the DDC promotion (Customized Facebook page, Website, Name of Campaign, Name of Video Competition, Key slogans and messages)
• To work with students to come up with strategies for the DDC (synchronized “launch” events, promotional tools for multimedia competition, judging strategies, etc)
• To involve students in finalizing the details of the Video Competition
• To introduce students to Mouth Media (the digital media company who we will be working with for this campaign)
• To have fun and to meet other students who are active with SMARTRISK and Project Ignition

Is It Worth It? Campaign Launch: SUCCESS

Date: Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011

Where: Simultaneously in Fredericton, New Brunswick and Toronto, Ontario

After a jam-packed and highly successful two-day brainstorming session in Toronto, staff advisers and student leaders from the two leading high schools returned to their respective communities to coordinate a large-scale campaign launch two weeks later.

The goal of the launch was to draw attention to the ‘Is It Worth It?’ distracted driving campaign and national multi-media competition in a positive, entertaining and thought provoking way. Student leaders designed and disseminated promotional materials including T-shirts, stickers and brochures; coordinated school-wide announcements; and facilitated a series of interactive initiatives while engaging with participants on the topic of distracted driving. In addition, both teams conducted a ‘whiteboard activity’ where they asked students, teachers and school staff what distracted driving meant to them. Not surprisingly, the media response to the event was enthusiastic. At the end of the week, the campaign was featured on one television show, two radio stations and in two newspaper articles!

Is It Worth It? Campaign Website Launch: SUCCESS

Date: Monday, Dec. 19, 2011

Where: Cyberspace

What do you get when you take all the creative brilliance of student leaders and mix it with the cutting edge expertise of a leading digital media company? A sweet, forward-thinking and innovative campaign website! On Dec. 19, 2011, the ‘Is It Worth It?’ campaign website was launched featuring a general campaign overview, details on the national multi-media competition, the campaign’s two key messages, frequently asked questions, links to resources and some of our favorite positive and inspiring public service announcements. 

Service-Learning in Action - Inspiring Media Classes to take on the Is It Worth It? Campaign: SUCCESS

Date: Nov. 9 to Dec. 21, 2011

Where: Media Studies Class, Northern Secondary School, Toronto, Ontario

With the encouragement of SMARTRISK staff and staff advisers and student leaders at Northern Secondary School, the media studies teacher at the school decided to incorporate the ‘Is It Worth It?’ campaign as a formal piece of the curriculum in two of her classes. The teacher dedicated over five weeks to discussing the history and efficacy of public service announcements, the concepts of injury prevention and smart risk taking in the media and the use of new media and creative storylines to get across a message in a positive and empowering way.

While student leaders were busy preparing for the ‘Is It Worth It?’ campaign launch taking place later that day, SMARTRISK President and CEO Dr. Phil Groff and Youth Program Coordinator Nadim Sobhani made a one hour presentation to each of the two media classes spanning many of the topics listed above.

Overall, this solid example of service-learning culminated in teams of students generating over 25 entries for the multi-media competition almost three months in advance of the submission deadline. Excited by its success, the media teacher is introducing the campaign into two new classes starting in January 2012!

"Is It Worth It?" Judging Panel: ASSEMBLED

Date: February and March, 2012

Where: Canada-wide

SMARTRISK staff have spent the last few months trying their best to assembly a dynamic and diverse juding panel for the "Is It Worth It?" Multimedia Competion. 

Below is the list of each member, including their current role and organization: 

• Jayson Baxter, Anchor, CTV Atlantic
• Sarah Blades, Co-Chair / Atlantic Representative, Nova Scotia Road Safety Youth Committee / Canadian Road Safety Youth Committee
• Katie Cotter, Student and Member, SMARTRISK Youth Advisory Team
• Pamela Fuselli, Executive Director, Safe Kids Canada
• Jeff Griffith, Team Leader, Road Safety Marketing Division, Ontario Ministry of Transportation
• Dr. Phil Groff, President and CEO, SMARTRISK
• Const. Keith Ingram, Traffic Services Constable, Toronto Police Services
• Jim Kenzie, Chief Auto Reviewer, Toronto Star's 'Wheels' section
• Jil McIntosh, Freelance Writer, Woman on Wheels
• Kory Snodgrass, Student and Member, SMARTRISK Youth Advisory Team

Is It Worth It? Poster Campaign: DISSEMINATED

From January to March, youth-designed posters were printed and disseminated to over 50 high schools identified as potentially interested in the multimedia competition. 

The four posters can all be found on the campaign's Facebook page at: http://tinyurl.com/8y27qbf. 

Is It Worth It? Multimedia Competition: COMPLETED

The results are in!!

After open voting for the entire month of April, we are please to share with you the final results of the Is It Worth It? Multimedia Competition. The Voter's Choice awards were determined by the videos receiving the highest number of votes on the campaign website, and the Judging Panel awards were determined by the same criteria used to shortlist the top 15 videos: clear and accurate delivery of content, creativity and originality, use of positive messaging, strength of impact, and technical quality of PSA.

Thanks to the brilliant efforts of everyone who worked to submit a multimedia entry, we were successful in promoting the messages of smarter risk taking behind the wheel to thousands of people - during the month of April 2012, this campaign website recieved just about 60,000 page views from over 4,700 unique visitors!
In the meanwhile, please help us spread the word on the winning videos and stay tuned for next year's Is It Worth It? Campaign!

Is It Worth It? Awards Celebrations: In Progress

During the month of May, students with award-winning entries will be contacted to receive their prizes and certificates. Where feasible, SMARTRISK campaign staff will personally visit these students to deliver the prizes. Stay tuned for pictures from these celebrations. 

Final Evaluation: In Progress

During the month of May, the lead schools will conduct school-wide post-surveys (an identical survey was conducted in October 2011) to measure the difference in knowledge, attitudes and behaviour around distracted driving. 

Reflections and Sharing Learning: ONGOING

SMARTRISK is pleased to have the Is It Worth It? Distracted Driving Campaign recognized as a best practice for its field. To date, the Is It Worth It? Campaign and its staff have been invited to share its learning at four conferences: 

• 3rd Annual Nova Scotia Road Safety Conference, March 2012
• 23rd Annual National Service-Learning Conference, April 2012
• OSAID Provincial Youth Leadership Conference, May 2012
• 22nd Canadian Multidisciplinary Road Safety Conference, June 2012 [TBC]