Local broadcast TV stations nationwide unite
during the holiday season to remind viewers that "Buzzed Driving is
Drunk Driving"
NEW
YORK, Dec. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Ad
Council, in partnership with the U.S. Department of
Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA), and the Television Bureau of Advertising (TVB), today
announced the 21st annual Project Roadblock initiative.
Local broadcast TV stations across the country will donate
advertising time to air anti-drunk driving PSAs reminding viewers
to make safe choices this holiday season.
The latest available data from NHTSA shows that there is
still work to be done in reducing drunk driving fatalities. Every
day, 37 people in the United
States die in drunk-driving crashes, which is roughly
equivalent to one person every 39 minutes. Every alcohol-impaired
driving death is preventable.
Since its inception in 2004, Project Roadblock has mobilized
thousands of local broadcast TV stations to air PSAs during the
six-day period between December 26 and
31, with a special emphasis at 10
p.m. local time on New Year's Eve. Project Roadblock's
flight runs during one of the deadliest times of year to be on the
road.
Last year's Project Roadblock reached 99.99% of all US TV
households. The 2023 campaign garnered 60.4k detections on local broadcast TV stations
valued at an estimated $3.8 million.
Since Project Roadblock's inaugural year in 2004, TV stations
across the nation have donated over $194
million in media value to promote safe driving, amounting to
8 billion total impressions.
"Local broadcast TV has the power to reach people and save
lives. Throughout our 21 years working with Ad Council and NHTSA,
we've been honored to unite to help create stronger, safer
communities," said Steve Lanzano,
president and CEO at TVB. "Every station that signs up, every PSA
that runs, could save a life."
"We're incredibly grateful to our partners and local TV stations
who continue to support this crucial initiative year after year,"
said DJ Perera, chief media officer at the Ad Council. "For 21
years, Project Roadblock has demonstrated the power of local media
to drive meaningful change, and we're looking forward to another
successful year."
The PSAs, which air in both English and Spanish, reinforce the
message that "Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving," and underscore the
danger of driving after drinking. TV stations can register and
download the PSAs from the Project Roadblock campaign
page. Extreme Reach, a longtime partner of Project Roadblock,
will again donate all PSA distribution and delivery services.
For more information about Project Roadblock, visit
TVB.org/ProjectRoadblock, and follow the campaign online using the
hashtag #ProjectRoadblock on Facebook and X.
About the Ad Council
The Ad Council convenes creative storytellers to educate, unite and
uplift audiences by opening hearts, inspiring action and
accelerating change around the most pressing issues in America.
Since the non-profit's founding, the organization and its partners
in advertising, media, marketing and tech have been behind some of
the country's most iconic social impact campaigns – Smokey Bear, A Mind Is a Terrible Thing to
Waste, Love Has No Labels, Tear the Paper Ceiling and many more.
With a current focus on mental health, gun safety, the opioid
epidemic, skill-based hiring and other critical issues, the Ad
Council's national campaigns encompass advertising and media
content, ground game and community efforts, trusted messenger and
influencer engagement, and employer programs, among other
innovative strategies to move the needle on the most important
issues of the day.
To learn more, visit AdCouncil.org, join the Ad Council's
communities on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter, and
view the creative on YouTube.
About NHTSA
For more than 50 years, the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) has served as the key federal agency charged
with improving safety on our nation's roadways. As part of the U.S.
Department of Transportation, NHTSA is working to reduce
traffic-related deaths and injuries by promoting the use of seat
belts and child safety seats; helping states and local communities
address the threat of distracted, drunk and drug-impaired drivers;
regulating vehicle safety standards and investigating safety
defects in motor vehicles; establishing and enforcing fuel economy
standards; conducting research on driver behavior and traffic
safety; and providing consumer information on issues ranging from
child passenger safety to impaired driving. For more information
visit www.nhtsa.gov.
About TVB
TVB is the not-for-profit trade association representing
America's local broadcast television industry, including linear and
digital platforms. Its members include the U.S. television
stations, television broadcast groups, advertising sales reps,
syndicators, international broadcasters and associate members. TVB
actively promotes local media marketing solutions to the
advertising community and works to develop advertising dollars for
the medium's multiple platforms, including on-air, online and
mobile. TVB provides a diverse variety of tools and resources,
including its website, to support its members and to help
advertisers make the best use of local ad dollars.
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SOURCE The Ad Council
