Sauce Advertising

Client: Road Accident Fund (RAF)
Product: Road Accident Fund (RAF)
Title: Posthumous Posts #AlwaysRemember
Media: Integrated
Country: South Africa
Date Of Campaign: December 2017 - January 2018

Background: The Road Accident Fund’s sole mandate as a public benefit entity is to provide compulsory cover to all users of South African roads, citizens and foreigners, against injuries sustained or death arising from accidents involving motor vehicles within the borders of South Africa.They tasked us to spread the message of road safety and to position it as a caring brand andto increase its brand presence across social media platforms.Safety on South African roads… it’s a life or death situation. In 2016, over 14 000 people died on our roads and that number, as in previous years, was set to increase over the 2017-2018 festive season.We needed to change behaviour.The trouble is, road users have become desensitized and no longer pay attention to road safety messages or tactics - they’re not even paying attention to the rules of the road, the road signs or even the police.So we asked ourselves, ‘Who and what is left to listen to?’.

Idea: #AlwaysRemember – A campaign delivered by those who know best. A message that hit as close to home as possible, a message delivered by those who have lost their lives on our roads.Communication ranged from static social posts to video – each one begging road users to follow simple safety measures, and to consider the alternative.Nothing gives weight to social change faster than social media. Therefore, the campaign was led by a strong social media presence, designed to prompt user interaction, shareability, and reach beyond the existing RAF platforms. We chose the platforms that would make the most difference – Facebook for impact and User Generated Content, Twitter for talk-ability, and Instagram for influence – all with the aim of increasing brand recall, increasing conversation around the dangers of our roads, and garnering high engagement rates and impressions to ensure both paid and organic impact.Statistically, Facebook users have a higher propensity to engage, and that 84% of Facebook users are likely to share content to show support for a cause.We leveraged the majority of our campaign efforts from the platform, aiming for acquisition, engagements and reach, while fighting through the barrage of clutter found on all social platforms. We increased our community management efforts and waited for the response.We also used tactical channels to increase awareness. Radio spots flighted during peak-hour traffic periods, hitting our audience while they were using the roads. Posters were placed in popular Shisanyama’s (Taverns) and flyers inserted into billfolds in restaurants, encouraging people to think twice after a drink or two.

Results: The response was overwhelming.Our audience recounted stories of their own family and friends they had lost, which raised even more awareness and conversation, and gave massive gravitas to the campaign.Many social media users vowed in the name of their loved ones to change their behaviour and be responsible on the road – to always remember them every time they get behind the wheel or walk the streets.The campaign was the most successful social media initiative to date for the Road Accident Fund.Not only were our targets reached, they were exceeded in every way.Our KPI of 25 000 new followers was surpassed by 238% - the campaign gaining 62 970 new followers across Twitter (19%) and Facebook, (81%.)Our engagement rates outperformed those of the previous year’s with Facebook achieving 37% more, Twitter 5% more, and Instagram by an incredible 101% more engagement. In total, we had a campaign engagement rate of 3,09%, with 293 654 Likes, Shares, Link clicks and video views, all supported by 8 914 598 campaign impressions across our social platforms, all from a total media spend of R380 000 across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.There was an 11% decrease in South African road deaths over the 2017/2018 Festive Season, and although we cannot claim this as a result of the campaign, we would like to think we saved at least 1 life.