This PSA Recreates the Pottery Wheel Scene From 'Ghost' to Make a Point About Drink-Driving

Film by Y&R Shows How Buddies Can Intervene and Influence Young Men

Published On
Mar 13, 2018

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A new PSA from the U.K. Department of Transport's anti drink-driving campaign, Think!, takes an unusual approach to the subject matter.

Instead of focusing on the horrific consequences of drink-driving, the ad, by Y& London, shows a young man's friend trying to persuade him not to drink on a night out, by humorously recreating the famous pottery wheel scene from 90s movie "Ghost." He grabs him from behind, clasping his pint in both hands and singing the lyrics to "Unchained Melody" into his ear, before taking his pint of beer away from him.

The aims of the campaign is to give young British men, who often feel too awkward to intervene, the ways and means to stop their friends from drink driving.

"Whilst previous U.K. road safety campaigns have traditionally focused on the dire consequences of drink driving, the prevailing "it won't happen to me" attitude of this particular young male audience has meant such tactics have had increasingly less impact over recent years," Emily James, Y&R chief strategy officer, says in a statement. "This new strategy, rooted in behavioural psychology, eschews the conventional parent-child vernacular of traditional drink drive campaigns and instead draws on peer dynamics to police and influence the friendship group."

The 60 second film, directed by Y&R creative director Jim Bolton, will run on Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and Twitter and a 30 second version will air on video on demand.