Volkswagen print ads illustrate an alarming accident statistic

Campaigns warning drivers about using a cell phone while driving are a dime a dozen. But this new Volkswagen campaign from Ogilvy Bolivia finds a fresh way in—by zeroing in on a specific data point. According to the World Health Organization, using a phone while driving increases the likelihood of an accident by four times. The ads illustrate this visually by multiplying pedestrians by four as well. “The challenge was immense. How do we innovate in a message that’s been used worldwide? The answer was in the data,” said Henry Medina, chief creative officer of Ogilvy Bolivia. “The data was already different from anything we had seen, so we decided to paint on that canvas. ... Using a cell phone causes risk to take over the entire street.” The ads have another, likely unintentional VW element. Any imagery with four people using a crosswalk naturally recalls the cover of the Beatles’ “Abbey Road.” That album cover also prominently featured a VW Beetle, parked illegally on the sidewalk to the left. Five years ago, VW revisited that cover—and moved the Beetle to where it was legally parked. More Creativity coverage from Ad Age: Sign up for our daily Creativity newsletter to see the best stories of the day.

Volkswagen print ads illustrate an alarming accident statistic

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