NEW YORK —
Ad Council, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and SXM Media today announced the launch of an audio PSA to raise awareness of the dangers of driving while high. The creative was produced by SXM Media’s Studio Resonate and will air in English and Spanish to a national audience across Pandora and SoundCloud on mobile and in the car, with media donated by SXM Media. The spot is part of NHTSA and the Ad Council’s Drug-Impaired Driving Prevention campaign, which launched in 2019.
Research shows that marijuana consumption can slow reaction time, impair judgment of distance and decrease coordination, all of which are essential for safe driving1. The new PSA is designed to get young men between 18-34 to doubt the claim that it’s safe to drive after consuming marijuana. Even in states where marijuana use is legal, it is always illegal to drive while impaired by any substance.
In the 30-second PSA titled, “I get lost in the music,” the protagonist describes enjoying listening to music when he’s high, only to get interrupted when his girlfriend gently points out that someone is crossing the street while he’s driving. Using SXM Media’s deep audience insights while reaching listeners in the car, the spot places listeners in the protagonist’s shoes, immersing them in the musical experience and using sound design to help heighten the feeling of being pulled back into reality by the close call.
The PSA ends with the tagline, “If you feel different, you drive different. Don’t drive high.” alongside a reminder that driving under the influence of marijuana is illegal.
“This vital campaign educates young men on the dangers of driving high and actively combats societal stereotypes erroneously claiming that driving under the influence of marijuana is safe,” said Michelle Hillman, Chief Campaign Development Officer at the Ad Council. “We are thrilled to collaborate with SXM Media, whose thoughtful and immersive creative will help us effectively spread this important message.”
“We’re excited to collaborate with Ad Council on this important campaign to prevent drug-impaired driving across the country,” said Steven Kritzman, Senior Vice President of Sales at SXM Media. “By combining Studio Resonate’s authentic storytelling and thoughtful selection of voice talent with SXM Media’s powerful reach in the car, we believe this PSA can play an important role in convincing listeners to think twice before putting themselves in a dangerous situation behind the wheel.”
The Drug-Impaired Driving Prevention campaign began in 2019 to promote safe driving practices and reduce the number of accidents caused by impaired driving. The Ad Council’s complete suite of Drug-Impaired Driving campaign assets includes radio, TV, print, out-of-home, banner, and digital video assets.
About the Ad Council
The Ad Council convenes the best storytellers to educate, unite and uplift—by opening hearts, inspiring action and accelerating change. Since our WWII founding as a nonpartisan nonprofit, the Ad Council and our partners, who include leaders across the marketing and media communities, have been behind some of America’s most recognizable and impactful campaigns, including Smokey Bear, A Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Waste, and Love Has No Labels, which champions diversity and inclusion in all forms. Our historic COVID-19 Vaccine Education Initiative was the largest and most urgent communications effort in American history. And with a current focus on mental health, racial justice, and other critical issues, we won’t stop until we’ve built a culture where everyone can thrive.
To learn more, visit AdCouncil.org, join the Ad Council’s communities on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter, and view the creative on YouTube.
About Sirius XM Holdings Inc.
SiriusXM is the leading audio entertainment company in North America with a portfolio of audio businesses including its flagship subscription entertainment service SiriusXM; the ad-supported and premium music streaming services of Pandora; an expansive podcast network; and a suite of business and advertising solutions. Reaching a combined monthly audience of approximately 150 million listeners, SiriusXM offers a broad range of content for listeners everywhere they tune in with a diverse mix of live, on-demand, and curated programming across music, talk, news, and sports. For more about SiriusXM, please go to: www.siriusxm.com.
1 www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drug-impaired-driving
