Irish Ad Confronts the Rising Social Acceptance of Drink Driving

​Forsman & Bodenfors has rolled out a new campaign for the Road Safety Authority (RSA).

The latest campaign tackles the issue of drink driving and society’s attitude towards it.

Drink driving continues to be an issue in Ireland but there is another worrying trend today: a rise in the social acceptance of drink driving. Since 2019, social acceptance of drink driving has risen by 12%, according to RSA.

“Using a stark visual metaphor, this campaign challenges the social acceptability of drink driving. It appeals directly to the public to protect their friends, and other road users, by ensuring their friends do not drink and drive.”

According to Madhumita Chandrasekaran, planning director, Forsman & Bodenfors. “Our aim with this campaign was to get Ireland talking about how drink driving is creeping back up again. We felt that highlighting society’s role in this rise would be a compelling way to do that.

“As much as it is ultimately the individual driver’s choice to drink and drive, we wanted to highlight the important role their friends can play in helping to prevent drink driving."

“Through this campaign, we wanted to show a mirror to society and get people to think about how they can play a part in reducing this dangerous behaviour and hopefully motivate them to do so the next time they are around friends or family.”

“Our latest drink driving campaign is proof that the most effective communication is simple, focused, and emotionally truthful,” said Brian Johnson, lead strategic campaign development and partnerships, RSA.

“Drink driving, like relationships, is complex, but the public doesn’t engage with complexity. They connect with one clear message that resonates instantly. This campaign delivers exactly that,” he said.

“We stripped it back to a single, powerful insight and brought it to life visually, without overcomplication. In today’s noisy, distracted world, simplicity isn’t just effective, it’s essential. This work reminds us that saying one thing with clarity and impact always achieves more than trying to say everything.”

The spot was directed by Zak Emerson produced by Butter.

Director Zak Emerson said, “Rob and Laura’s smart script blew me away—the idea was so deceptively simple, none of us could believe it hadn’t been told before. They really struck gold. I feel incredibly lucky to have been part of this project. There was strong trust across production, agency, and client from day one. That kind of bond always gets me excited—because it usually shines right through on screen…”