Seatbelts Campaign Wins Major European Award

Brussels, Wednesday 27th September 2006: the cross-border seatbelts campaign Damage has won a European Effie Award for Effectiveness from judges of the European Association of Communications Agencies (EACA).
The campaign was awarded the Stig Carlson award for socially-responsible advertising by the judges for “increasing seatbelt wearing rates and saving lives”.
 
At the presentation in Brussels the accolade was described “as one of the most important awards of the night” and it places Ireland’s road safety advertising at the top level of European advertising effectiveness. The campaign was developed and launched in 2001 by the Department of Environment in Northern Ireland and the National Safety Council (now part of the Road Safety Authority) in the Republic and was created and produced by Lyle Bailie International Limited.

David Lyle, Chief Executive, Dawn McCartney, Advertising Psychologist
and Julie Anne Bailie, Executive Creative Director

EUROPEAN WIN FOR ROAD SAFETY EFFECTIVENESS

Road Safety advertising agency Lyle Bailie International Limited has won a prestigious award from the European Association of Communications Agencies (EACA). The cross-border seatbelts campaign “Damage” has won a European Effie Award for Effectiveness. The Effies recognise the best in European multi-national campaigns.

Part of a cross-border campaign to encourage seatbelt wearing, the campaign was awarded the Stig Carlson Award for socially-responsible advertising by the judges for “increasing seatbelt wearing rates and saving lives”.

At the presentation in Brussels the accolade was described “as one of the most important awards of the night” and it places Ireland’s road safety advertising at the top level of European advertising effectiveness. The campaign was developed and launched in 2001 by the Department of Environment in Northern Ireland and the National Safety Council (now part of the Road Safety Authority) in the Republic and was created and produced by Lyle Bailie International Limited.

The agency is the only advertising firm in Ireland to be shortlisted and awarded by the judges and joins a select group of industry winners.

The advertisements were made by the Belfast agency’s Managing Director David Lyle and Creative Director Julie Anne Bailie and this latest accolade confirms their position as the effectiveness leaders in Ireland.

Commenting on their success Julie Anne Bailie said:

“The “Damage” campaign succeeded in boosting seatbelt wearing rates throughout the island of Ireland to their highest ever rates. In wave after wave of independent surveys, more than 90 per cent of people were both aware of the “Damage” ad and were influenced by it.  It has produced demonstrable attitude and behaviour improvements. We are gratified by the Effie award, but we are more gratified because the changes in behaviour this campaign has produced mean that lives have been saved. No award can match the feeling of being involved in something with that kind of impact.”

David Lyle echoed that sentiment, stating:

“Independent research indicates that an estimated 470 people across the island of Ireland were saved from death or serious injuries during the past five years because of wearing their seatbelts. The savings – both in terms of families’ grief, and the economic savings to society, are enormous.”

David Lyle and Julie Anne Bailie’s work in the field of road safety has resulted in worldwide recognition of their professional achievements. Their road safety TV ads have been adapted to run in Italy, Austria and Israel, as well as winning international awards from juries in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, Mexico, Montreux, Cannes and London.