Telling people that their actions are dangerous can only go so far in changing their dangerous behaviours. If you tell someone not to run with scissors, it’s likely that they’d take your advice since doing so is so obviously jeopardous. Tell someone to wear a bicycle helmet or to wear a life jacket when boating, and many would agree that it’s a good idea. Getting them to actually wear one is another matter.
The aim of this blog and the affiliated Preventable campaigns is to not tell people they shouldn’t do something because it’s dangerous and could be harmful to themselves and others. We want to change people’s attitude about preventable injuries by inspiring conversations and challenging people to question their actions.
Our latest series of TV spots are about water prevention. Watch for yourself. Does it make you think about when you or a loved one are in or near the water?
We’d love to read about your experiences in or around the water. We’d also love to know what you think of the commercials. Do they make you think about injuries and water?
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A child has no sunhat on a day so scorching there’s a weird yellow haze to it. She has a toy that has a mirror stuck in the middle of it. She’s clearly walking around barefoot. And all this is okay? But, when the mother punches just a few letters to a text before she checking on her daughter, it inspires heavy-handed drama and scorn – what were “you” thinking? The “you” makes it so accusatory and offensive.
Hi Dee:
The add has obviously struck a cord with you. Did it make you reflect at all on what you or people you know do around water?
From one marketer to another, these are very good spot from your marketing team.
I actually thought about kidnapping too. So you covered a few good angles.
Always look forward to learning more from the Preventable team.
Thanks,
Holly
In answer to Robert – the ad (and your holier-than-thou response to Dee), made me reflect on how judgmental society is to parents (especially mothers).
Avert your eyes for a moment – your kid goes missing for a few minutes and all eyes are on you with that look of “what were you thinking? what kind of parent are you? OMG – you shouldn’t even have kids… etc. etc. etc.
Yes, keep your eye on your kids (especially around the water). But the ad needs to lose the judgmental attitude. Parents (especially women) have enough of that already, Thank-you-very-much.
Thanks for the comment Rose. You make an interesting point, and one I didn’t think of when I watched the spot.
Now, do you think the spot would get the same message across with a father instead of a mother, or perhaps both a mother and father?
My husband and I watched both the commercial as well as the video. Neither one of us understood what the video was supposed to be about. The commercial was confusing.
Truthfully, this ad makes me think it’s irresponsible and unsafe for families to bring kids outside (read: anywhere where there is a potential to wonder and discover). It really does take a fear mongering tone that you should be ashamed of yourself if you let your child wonder & explore outside. Is there really that huge a hazard to a small child on a beach full of people with shallow water (i.e. not a pool with a definied edge & suddenly deep water)? Folks, life is risky, people and children will get hurt. I don’t advocate taking unwise risks, but we really need to draw the line when start telling people that simply heading out to enjoy the outdoors is dangerous, potentially unsafe, and maybe even neglegent?
Sorry, hard to state that without sounding like a (insert derogatory term here). I just don’t want to live in a world where people fear everything, and all the negative aspects that come with that.
Like Rose, I, also, think the commercial should lose the “What were you thinking?” scornful comment. I think the mother just looking into the mirror would be effective enough. I, also, agree that parents already receive enough judgement and the commercial just irritates me. I wonder if a focus group would be a good idea before you air this sort of thing?
Hi Everyone,
Thanks for all the comments! It certainly looks like the spot has struck a cord with many of you. The intention of the spot was to get people thinking about the actions of one another around water. In that respect, it looks like it has been successful (mostly).
As for the feeling of being fearful of the outdoors, that certainly wasn’t the intention of the spot. Ocean, lake, tub or pool, all of us should be aware of what our kids and other loved ones are doing in and around these bodies of water. Here’s a comment from a reader of the blog on a previous water safety blog post that illustrates just how quickly water can change the course of a day – http://www.preventable.ca/2010/07/you%E2%80%99re-probably-not-expecting-to-drown-today-contest/,
Jennifer — Wednesday, July 20, 2011 at 2:44 pm
My youngest son was about 5 – we had taken the dog to Gold Creek for a run and my son was wadding at the waters edge. I was right there. I turned around to check on where the dog was. When I turned back my son was floating down stream in the fast running water. Pleading with his eyes for me to save him, begging me to help him. I kept lunging for him but the more I kept trying to grab him the further he was floating down stream. I knew I had one more chance and then he’d be gone. I lunged full body, he looked terrified. This time I grabbed him, barely hanging on to him and dragged us both back to shore. He was very traumatized and I was so distressed that my son had come to close to drowning. I will never forget that close call and am now much more aware and cautious around lakes, rivers and swimming pools.
To answer Sam’s question about focus group testing, the spot was tested on viewers before airing and tested very well.
Again, thanks for the great comments. It’s discussions like these that can lead to changing peoples attitudes around water!
Why is the mother looking into the mirror at the end of the ad? What does the mirror represent? Does she have something on her face? I only came here because I was forced to watch the ad about 50 times on cbc.ca and it was driving me crazy. I work in advertising, I understand conceptual messaging but after about 50 views, your ad still doesn’t do anything for me on a deeper level.
My husband and I both have watched this commercial 4 or 5 times and had no clue as to what the point to this commercial is. We find it very confusing and I am surprised that any people feel it is good. After the end of the commercial we talked about it and thought of a number of possibilities, water safety came to our mind only at the beginning we dismissed that idea by the end of the commercial. Very weak message, sorry!
Michael and Jane – the idea of the advertisment is to “Have a word with yourself”. That is why she is looking into a mirror – to have a word with herself. These advertisments are not selling you anything; they are making you think ahead and prevent fatal or serious injuries from occuring in the first place.
“Have a word with yourself”—about what? I’m with the people who find this ad confusing. I’ve watched it over and over again and haven’t the slightest idea what the point is.