Ad Council and NHTSA's Never Happens campaign aims to raise awareness about the tragic issue of hot car deaths involving children. This initiative, developed in collaboration with pro bono creative agency Chemistry, utilizes a series of public service advertisements to highlight the dangers of leaving children unattended in vehicles, particularly during warmer months. The Never Happens campaign emphasizes that such fatalities are entirely preventable, urging parents and caregivers to adopt the mantra 'Stop. Look. Lock.' before exiting their vehicles.
With pediatric vehicular heatstroke being the leading cause of non-crash, vehicle-related deaths among children 14 and younger, the campaign’s PSAs employ poignant vignettes to illustrate the unintended risks parents may overlook. Given the severity of the issue and the preventable nature of these tragedies, the Never Happens campaign aims to resonate with a wide audience through a comprehensive media strategy encompassing TV, radio, print, outdoor, and digital platforms in both English and Spanish.
Car Safety-Promoting PSAs
The Ad Council and NHTSA Have Launched a New Never Happens Campaign
Trend Themes
1. Hyper-targeted Safety Campaigns - The Never Happens campaign effectively uses poignant storytelling across multiple media platforms to raise awareness about hot car deaths among a diverse audience.
2. Pro Bono Collaborations - Ad Council's collaboration with Chemistry exemplifies how non-profit organizations can leverage pro bono services from creative agencies to execute impactful public awareness campaigns.
3. Bilingual Public Service Ads - The dual-language approach of the Never Happens campaign ensures critical safety messages reach a broader demographic, including non-English speaking communities.
Industry Implications
1. Public Safety - The importance of addressing preventable vehicular heatstroke fatalities presents significant opportunities for innovations in public safety messaging.
2. Media and Advertising - Developing emotionally resonant, multi-channel public service announcements can revolutionize how campaigns communicate life-saving information to the public.
3. Child Protective Services - Campaigns like Never Happens can drive new approaches in how child protective services educate the public about common yet often overlooked dangers.