Auto Trader to push safe driving at young

Auto Trader, the classified car ads publication, is to encourage young people to drive safely in its first social responsibility campaign. It claims the Don’t Wreck the Ride campaign will take a “radically different approach” to safe driving campaigns.

It will target teenagers through an Auto Trader site aimed at young drivers. The site will encourage users to share their real life stories about driving accidents and take tests to prove their driving skills. It will also include video podcasts and competitions, which will be linked with a MySpace campaign page, and the podcasts will be linked to YouTube.

Auto Trader claims its campaign will be different to traditional ones because it will not use an “authoritarian voice” to discuss safe driving issues, but at the same time will celebrate drivers who do not drink and drive or use drugs while driving.

The creative work is carried out by ad agency Brown Paper Blag. The campaign is being overseen by Auto Trader head of marketing Jonathan Williams. It was launched on the back of research involving thousands of young people.

In September, Auto Trader appointed Hurrell & Dawson to handle its advertising duties after a two-way pitch.