JWT makes an ad out of classified ads

As part of JWT's Don't drink and drive campaign they are running ads in AutoTrader through January which look like regular car adverts, until one takes a closer look.

One ad for a Vauxhall Astra 1.7D Turbo shows the car as it would normally look in a typical ad, but with a man hanging out of the windscreen, apparently dead.

The copy reads: "ABS, power steering and driver's airbag. But nothing to stop passenger hurtling through windscreen after driver had spent a couple of hours in pub. Don't drink and drive. AutoTrader."

Another ad shows a boy lying on the ground in front of a car after a "lady owner who, after a few sherries, knocked down and killed a boy playing outside his home".

In another creative, an ad features a shot of a Ford Fiesta up against a lamppost with the words: "60,000 miles, central locking, new alloys, new radio/CD player, all a complete write-off after the young driver had a few cocktails, drove into a lamppost and killed herself outright".

Creatives on the campaign include Simon Horton (AD), Hanna Ford (CW), and Adam Hinton (Photographer).

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Anonymous Adgrunt's picture
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LPikon's picture

Clemenger BBDO in NZ did exactly the same thing 3-4 years ago for their client, LTSA (Land Transport Safety Authority), in fact not only the same 'private seller' small ad idea - but in the same publication, in this case, NZ Autotrader!
They were also awarded for it.
However, to be fair - in a social marketing category, where the primary aim should be to save lives rather than win awards, - agencies should be shamelessly using ideas from other agencies, if they are seen to be working..........

Dabitch's picture

sounds like a good pair for Badland - scan it?

LPikon's picture

I'll have a wee chat with with the Clemenger crowd in Wellington tomorrow and see if they can dig out some of their earlier Auto Trader LTSA campaign stuff for the 'Badland' section.

S'funny though, as I said in my last post on this item - where the work is trying to save lives and it has seen to have had an impact, then maybe copying / adapting someone else's work from another market ain't such a bad thing - AS LONG AS THEY THEN DON"T TRY AND ENTER IT INTO ANY AWARDS SHOWS as their own original idea...........

What do you think?
What do others in Adland think?

caffeinegoddess's picture

Well there is a reason there's that saying, "There's no such thing as an original idea anymore". ;)