The greatest danger in traffic: not seeing it
Challenge
Annually, about 2.4 million traffic accidents occur in Germany. Alarmingly, around 300,000 of these could be avoided with better eyesight.
Unlike many EU countries, Germany does not have mandatory health checks for drivers after the initial eyesight test during the driving license examination, meaning no further checks are typically conducted.
A recent study by the German Ophthalmological Society revealed that 99.2 percent of respondents rated their eyesight as good to very good. However, 16.4 percent subsequently failed a vision test.
These statistics are unacceptable to Apollo, Germany's largest chain of optical stores. Eyesight tests and consultations are an integral part of their services. Apollo aims to raise awareness across all media platforms, targeting people of all ages. Eye health is a concern for everyone, including those in their 20s and 30s, as vision can deteriorate to a degree that becomes a danger in traffic.
Apollo – Everything Blurry. Through all media
Solution
On the occasion of the "World Sight Day," Apollo launched a cross-media awareness campaign to raise awareness of the importance of regular vision tests. The message: "The greatest danger on the road: not seeing it." The strategy: Apollo made everything blurry. Literally everything. Across all media in the right places. With surprises and numerous special stagings.
Examples:
Traffic Light Action:
During peak traffic hours, drivers were surprised with an oversized foil installation (4x1.5m) that was used during a red-light phase. A slightly opaque foil made everything look blurry, while the second foil contained our message.
Public Transport:
Inside city buses, we used foils to blur the side windows, creating a live experience directly in traffic.
Drive-In Cinema:
A classic spot for car enthusiasts. An Apollo flyer at the ticket booth caught attention early on. The cinema spot visually conveyed the dangers of unrecognized visual impairment. This was also targeted at a very car-centric audience - the "racing" fans, both real and virtual:
Formula 1 Hijack:
We created a surprising TV highlight during the Formula 1 race. Our spot aired just before the Austin race start, leading viewers to believe it was starting NOW. But then, everything went blurry.
Twitch:
Good vision is crucial on virtual racetracks. In popular racing streams, we captivated the young gaming community with a specially created blur effect that could be triggered by both streamers and viewers.
Multi-Channel Approach:
We used a unified communication strategy through a programmatic multi-channel approach, which brought additional reach and visibility.
This included digital out-of-home, social media, digital desktop BlurAds and flyers at POS.
Key Facts
