Ad Council and NHTSA Unveils 'Lost in a Flash' to Tackle Buzzed Driving Head-On

The Ad Council and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) launched a powerful new public service advertisement (PSA) aimed at preventing buzzed driving across the United States. The latest creative encourages responsible driving behaviour at a time when 30% of traffic fatalities nationwide involve an alcohol-impaired driver.

The new TV PSA, 'Lost in a Flash,' highlights to viewers how avoiding buzzed driving contributes to collective well-being within communities and families. The creative is designed specifically to remind Hispanic male drivers ages 21-34 that decisions they make behind the wheel can impact both themselves and their loved ones. This work launches at an especially dangerous time of year to be on the road, as July and August are the deadliest months for alcohol-impaired driving crashes. Alcohol-impaired driving crashes claimed one life every 42 minutes, according to the latest available data.

Created pro bono by culture-first creative agency MEL, the new creative builds on the campaign’s longstanding mission to educate audiences that alcohol-impaired driving can have real, lasting consequences that extend far beyond the driver. The PSA is designed to resonate with the campaign’s Spanglish-speaking target audience. The spot delivers an emotional and urgent message: buzzed driving can erase everything you live for in an instant. The new creative concludes with the campaign’s long time message: 'Manejar Buzzed es Manejar Drunk,' or 'Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving.'

“For over four decades, the Ad Council has worked to shift cultural norms around alcohol-impaired driving, and our new work continues that commitment,” said Michelle Hillman, chief campaign development officer at the Ad Council. “Since 1983, the Ad Council and our partners have reminded people what’s at stake every time they choose to get behind the wheel after drinking. This new creative taps into emotion and duty, connecting directly with our audiences to remind them that buzzed driving is drunk driving.”

“A crash caused by buzzed driving doesn’t just impact one person, it ripples through families and communities,” said NHTSA chief counsel Peter Simshauser. “This new PSA is a critical reminder that buzzed driving is drunk driving. Plan ahead and make safe choices.”

“This work demonstrates MEL’s commitment, as a culture-first agency, to elevating communities across the country through advertising and communications,” said Luis Miguel Messianu, founder and chief creative officer of MEL. “There is no better way to do that than by meeting people where they are – culturally and linguistically – and by ensuring the safety of families at a historically dangerous time of year to be on the road.”

The new campaign assets, which include TV, digital, print and out-of-home formats will run nationwide in time and space donated by the media. Since 2000, the campaign has garnered over 25 billion impressions across all mediums to prevent buzzed driving.