MASS MEDIA ANALYSIS A FOCUS ON ROAD SAFETY Sarah Chambers and Nancy Walker

CONTENTS Context Process Building Understanding Unpacking campaigns Moving Forward

COLD HARD FACTS The Motor Accident Commission of South Australia (MAC) exists to bring attention to the harsh reality of road trauma on South Australian roads through mass media campaigns. In 2014, 68% of fatalities in SA occurred in rural areas (73 of 108) deaths. 61% of serious injury crashes last year occurred in rural areas. More than half of fatal and 90% of non-fatal crashes are the result of people making ordinary mistakes. 5km reduction in travelling speed could reduce rural casualties by 30 per cent and metro casualties by 25 per cent "Young drivers aged between 16 and 24 account for 26 per cent of road deaths Drink Driving is still one of the main causes of road deaths in South Australia. Each year, over a third of drivers and riders killed in road crashes have a BAC over the legal limit of The likelihood of a crash is double at.05 and four times at.08

ACTIVATING PRIOR KNOWLEDGE Public Awareness campaigns- not designed to sell but educate and change behaviours. Grim Reaper SLIP, SLOP, SLAP – 1980s s 2009 Life. Be in it vs Measure Up Life. Be in it Measure Up 10 Minute Pitch

BUILDING UNDERSTANDING Gruen Transfer- Season 1, Episode 7Season 1, Episode 7 Techniques of Persuasion Shock Grief Consequences Humour (navigate to various South Australian campaigns) TAC Compilation (20 years of road safety advertising) TAC Compilation Advertisements from other cultures

UNPACKING SPECIFIC CAMPAIGNS Ensure that campaigns are different in more than one way. Context Form Audience Purpose Language

Matemorphosis Context- produced by MAC in response to statistics and evidence _crash_facts Audience- young, male, rural drivers and passengers Purpose- to empower mates to speak up against reckless driving Form- Predominantly billboards, some TV. Language- Humour, colloquialism, vernacular of target audience Creepers BeforeBefore, during and afterduring after Context- produced by MAC in response to statistics and evidence _crash_facts Audience- urban, middle aged drivers Purpose- to demonise low level speeding (a normalised driving behaviour) Form- Predominantly TV, some print Language- Shock and fear

You’re Screwed Context- produced by MAC in response to statistics and evidence _crash_facts Audience- young, male drivers Purpose- to encourage safer driving by focusing on the consequences of losing your licence Form- Predominantly TV, some internet. Language- Humour. Mistakes Context- purchased by MAC (originally NZ) in response to statistics and evidence _crash_facts Audience- rural middle aged drivers Purpose- to encourage drivers to slow down by presenting the reality of an ordinary driving mistake Form- TV and YouTube Language- Shock

JUST OVER? Context- produced by MAC in response to statistics and evidence Audience- Full licenced drivers- attacks the motorists with its approach Purpose- to encourage safer driving by focusing on the consequences of drink driving, even if ‘just over’ the limit. Form- Predominantly TV, some print (coasters, posters in pubs) Language- Emotive shock tactics.

SUGGESTED COMPARISONS Matemorphosis vs Creepers Matemorphosis vs Just Over? Bromance vs Just Over? Bromance vs Creepers Bromance vs You’re Screwed Mistakes vs Creepers Mistakes vs Bromance

2017- WHERE MIGHT THIS FIT? Responding to texts- one response can be a comparison of two media texts Extended Study- students could be directed to compare two road safety campaigns (2000 word external assignment)

RESOURCES Gruen Transfer, Season 1, Episode 7. MAC - TAC Compilation (20 years of road safety advertising) Towards Zero Together Sarah Chambers- Head of English Nancy Walker-