Australia’s Transport Accident Commission is taking a novel approach in its Christmas road safety initiative which broke this week. Its #homesafely campaign, created by Naked Communications, enables people to send personal road safety messages to loved ones for display on road-side billboards and radio at a time and place programmed by the sender.

The campaign, primarily targeting young men living in Victoria where drunk driving remains one of the biggest killers, combines the influence of social with the power of broadcast media.





“You can program where and when the message will appear–either as an outdoor ad or as a self-record radio ad,” Naked Communications Founding Partner Adam Ferrier explains. “Hearing or seeing the drive safely message is harder to ignore it if comes from a loved one rather than a faceless government department.”

Members of the public submit messages at the #homesafely web site. Using Homesafely.com.au, they can compose a message then choose where and when it will appear. TAC and T20 Big Bash League (Australia’s domestic Twenty20 cricket tournament) are donating 233,000+ advertising spaces in Victoria for the duration of the campaign, which runs until January 14.





Messages can then be shared and tracked. The @TAChomesafely Twitter handle will further spread the word throughout the holiday season.

On Tuesday, in just its first half day, the #homesafely campaign generated 3,000 personal road safety messages posted by members of the public in and around Victoria. Almost 8,000 messages had been posted within the first 12 hours.