DOE Road Safety Campaign Wins Silver Screen From Hollywood

A road safety campaign by the Department of the Environment (DOE) has won four awards for advertising creativity.

Within months of going on air, ‘Crashed Lives’ has been honoured with an accolade from the US International Film and Video Festival in Hollywood Los Angeles, two from the Summit International Creative Awards in Oregon, and one from the Golden Awards of Montreux.

Launched in January, the advertisements feature real people telling their true-life stories of road tragedy.Environment Minister Alex Attwood said: “This international recognition comes at a time when road deaths in Northern Ireland are at their lowest level since records began. More people are alive than would have been the case if there was still the rate of road casualties of just a few years ago. These advertisements make a very powerful contribution to that.

“I commend those working so hard and so creatively to bring about these improvements. I would particularly like to thank the people who allowed their personal stories to be included in my Department’s ‘Crashed Lives’ campaign which has struck such a deep chord.

“These four awards demonstrate how DOE’s road safety advertising has a powerful and profound effect both at home and on an international scale.”

The US International Film and Video Festival in Los Angeles, now in its 46th year, has been acknowledging creative excellence in Corporate, Educational, Entertainment, Documentary and Student productions since 1967. More than 1100 entries were received from 29 countries and Crashed Lives was honoured with the prestigious Silver Screen award in the Advertising and Marketing category.

The Oregon-based Summit Awards has established itself as one of the premier arbiters of creative and communication excellence with entries from over 50 countries and across five continents in its 18-year history.

The DOE received a Silver Award for the Best Campaign in a Public Service category and a Bronze Award for Best Direction in Craft and Technique. The film director of ‘Crashed Lives’ was Julie Anne Bailie of LyleBailie International, the agency which created and produced the campaign for DOE.

The Golden Award of Montreux in Switzerland is an independent forum committed to improving the standard of creative excellence.

‘Crashed Lives’ won a Finalist Award in the Best Campaign category of the competition – which was founded in 1989 and is judged by an international jury, with entries from all over the world.

(CD)