A campaign to highlight what can happen to motorcycle riders if they fail to wear appropriate safety clothing has been recognised for capturing the imaginations of young people across England.
Highways England’s “Distressed” campaign features a fashion range and price tags which, instead of showing the cost of the clothing, show a range of serious injuries a biker could suffer if they are not wearing the right gear.
Early findings show the campaign is having a positive impact, and it has now received the “Best Content Marketing Campaign” award at the Chartered Institute of Marketing’s Marketing Excellence Awards 2019.
“Bikers are among the most vulnerable on the road – this campaign is all about helping them be safer,” said Peter Allen, Highways England’s Executive Director of Corporate Affairs and Communications. “The mental and physical cost of not wearing the correct motorcycle clothing can be far greater than the financial cost, so we wanted to stress how important it is for our young riders to really understand the need to be prepared, and to always wear the appropriate clothing.”
As part of the campaign, a pop-up shop was opened in East London, with the “Distressed” clothing range. “Customers” were filmed – including their reactions when they realised what the price labels referred to. The film was then used as content for the campaign, along with mock fashion photographs featured on poster sites near to collision hotspots. The “Distressed” clothing range is still being used to promote motorcycle safety at events across England.
