Young men aged 17-24 are four times more likely to be killed or seriously injured on the road in comparison to older groups. They are likely to underestimate the risks on the road, and their likelihood to be involved in an incident.

That's why the Department for Transport turned to VML to create its new audio campaign for THINK! which aims to encourage young drivers - and particularly young men - to drive to the limits and conditions of rural roads in the UK.

UNXPECTD FM Rain Beat Box
Nobody likes being told how to drive, especially young guys. To cut through when they are behind the wheel, we knew we couldn’t sound like a government message. So, working with the incredibly talented and authentic voices of Hugo & Kadeem, we brought to life UNXPECTD FM, a campaign designed to not sound like a ‘campaign’ at all. One we hope our audience will lean into and help save lives.

Frances Cooke

Creative Director

Young men are more likely to underestimate the risks on the road, and their likelihood to be involved in an incident is higher on average. We needed to create a campaign which captures the attention of this notoriously hard-to-reach audience.

The innovative new work has been created to appear not as ads, but as a pastiche of a pirate radio station, complete with a pair of straight-talking DJs - People Just Do Nothing’s Hugo Chegwin and Top Boy’s Kareem Ramsay, whose playful banter cleverly weaves in serious messages. Ever heard of ‘ghost cows’ or ‘shopping trolleys being pulled by huskies’? Well, you soon will.

The intelligent ads use real-time dynamic weather data to serve up references specific to rural road conditions - such as ice, wind, or rain - that young drivers may find themselves in. A highly-targeted hijack when they need to slow down the most, which will run across radio and audio streaming platforms such as DAX and Spotify.

UNXPECTD FM Wind Ghost Cow

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