A series of street sign ads by the Government of Bahia aims to stop smartphone use while driving by placing Internet icons on signs. The government worked with Brazilian ad agency Leiaute Propaganda in order reduce the number of phone-related driving deaths. Each ad replaces important sign symbols with email or social network symbols. To accompany this visual, the ads demand that "When you [are] driving, be driving."
Though the ads were intended to be somber, the results are quite humorous. In one print ad, the Facebook logo replaces the number on a speed limit sign. The resulting image looks as if it were demanding that you to go at the speed of Facebook. Another ad implies that you should watch for passing tweets, since the Twitter logo replaces the pedestrians on a crosswalk sign.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Safe Driving Advertising
- Opportunity for creative advertising campaigns that raise awareness about safe driving.
- Social Media Integration
- Incorporating social media icons into physical signage to capture attention and engage with a tech-savvy audience.
- Digital Awareness Initiatives
- Utilizing digital symbols and imagery in public spaces to promote responsible use of technology.
Where This Applies
- Advertising
- Potential for advertising agencies to create innovative campaigns that merge traditional signage with digital elements.
- Transportation
- Opportunity for transportation and road safety organizations to collaborate with tech companies and create tech-integrated safety campaigns.
- Digital Media
- Demand for collaboration between digital media companies and government organizations to raise awareness about digital responsibility in public spaces.
