Kick Off Of National SUV Safety Campaign Financed By Ford Settlement
February 1, 2005
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Attorney General Richard Blumenthal today announced the launch of a nationwide $27 million advertising campaign to promote safe SUV driving. The promotion uses a beast-like mascot called ESUVEE to teach safe SUV driving habits. The yearlong campaign will include at various times television, cinema, broadcast, print, on line and billboard ads, as well as a web site.
The campaign stems from a settlement with all 50 states of a lawsuit against Ford Motor Company for deceptive marketing practices that misled consumers on how to drive, load and maintain Ford Explorers.
"Driving SUVs like ordinary cars invites disaster. Awareness of SUV safety – especially stopping rollovers – can mean survival to countless Americans," Blumenthal said. "Smart drivers can save lives with some simple steps: avoid speeding, sudden maneuvers, and overloading. Our education campaign targets young men, who may be most vulnerable and most difficult to reach. If you think this message is hype, look at the numbers – thousands of young Americans killed in rollover crashes every year."
Surveys show that four out of 10 Americans falsely believe that SUVs are safer than passenger cars. SUVs are especially prone to rollover accidents. In 2000, more than one-third of fatal SUV crashes were rollovers. By comparison, 15 percent of fatal car accidents during the same period were rollovers.
Research also shows that nearly 50 percent of Americans don't know that overloading an SUV increases the risk of rollovers.
The ESUVEE campaign seeks to teach drivers precautions that reduce the risk of rollovers, including:
• Avoid speeding, aggressive driving and abrupt maneuvers.
• Load your SUV carefully, keeping in mind the number of occupants and the weight and distribution of cargo. Overloading an SUV raises its center of gravity, increasing the risk of rollover.
• Choose the right tires and maintain them properly. Check tire pressure regularly.
• Buckle up. Eighty percent of those killed in SUV rollovers are unbelted.
The campaign developed the ESUVEE character in response to research showing that SUVs enjoy a kind of “halo” effect, making it difficult to convince motorists to drive them differently than cars. Young men are especially unaware of the potential dangers of driving a SUV, the survey showed.
Market research showed that the concept of “mastering” a SUV conveyed a safety message more effectively than crash statistics or shame. That conclusion, plus the need to appeal to young men, drove creation of the ESUVEE character.
In addition to the ad campaign, an actual 10-foot high, 16-foot long ESUVEE will travel the nation to convey the message of SUV safety. The mascot is scheduled to appear at New London's Boats, Books and Brushes festival in September.
Ads will be broadcast on state radio stations and cable television stations, including ESPN, VH-1, MTV, Fox Sports, TNT, TBS, FX and TLC. It will also be shown in movie theaters owned by Regal and Screenvision, which includes the Crown chain.