With just days to go before the Easter holiday season traffic exodus gets under way in the Highveld, Bakwena’s N1N4 Control Of Speed By Illusion (COSBI) road safety campaign has become the talking point of social media with its use of metal cut-out Metro Police vehicles.
This campaign has already proven itself to be a very successful way of getting road users’ attention and to change their driving behaviour over what is traditionally one of the busiest periods of the year. The campaign by Bakwena Platinum Corridor Concessionaire, developed and implemented by PR Worx, is clearly pushing the road safety narrative effectively as broadcast and traditional media, as well as social media users have taken an active interest in the COSBI campaign.
“The initial evidence that the campaign is working, is that social media is awash with talk of our ‘drive safely’ campaign – and more importantly that motorists are slowing down and taking note. The positive response has exceeded even our highest expectations. In just five days, our first COSBI initiative has already received over 5,200,000 social media impressions and is growing by the hour. The purpose of the campaign is to get people talking about road safety, to increase road safety awareness, to change driving habits, and ultimately, to decrease road fatalities this Easter,” says Liam Clarke, Bakwena’s commercial manager.”
The organic conversations on Rian van Heerden’s Jacaranda FM show, Wackhead Simpson’s 94.7 show, Azania Mosaka of 702 Talk Radio, and more, as well as the growing social media responses is all proof of the campaign’s achievement in just a few days.
With proven successes in Australia, the US and Europe, it is believed that such ‘reality campaigns’ will set the standard for the future in South Africa.
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Clarke adds that the campaign also seamlessly integrates with former Minister of Transport, Dipou Peters’ message delivered in her preliminary 2016/17 festive season road safety statistics address, that “irresponsible human behaviour is responsible for agony, misery and pain.” Bakwena heeded her call when she asked that “agencies and stakeholder partners implement various measures to promote the safety of people on our roads throughout the holiday seasons”.
Bakwena believes in partnerships, and this COSBI campaign aligns with and complements campaigns implemented by the Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD), SANRAL and the Department of Transport to reduce fatalities on the roads over the Easter holiday.
In this regard, the campaign’s objectives fully align with its stakeholders’ to:
• reiterate various road safety messages to reduce road fatalities;
• raise awareness that Bakwena has zero tolerance for road offenders;
• change motorists’ driving behaviour to keep them alert and law abiding; Increased and visible policing along the N1N4 in addition to the COSBI campaign, and
• position Bakwena as an innovative industry leader that is committed to the safety of all road users.
“Through mutually beneficial opportunities for Bakwena and its stakeholders, we can change driver behaviour, decrease road fatalities and create better and safer roads for South Africa’s people,” concludes Clarke.