Boys+Girls' Gripping Spot Highlights Perils of Children in the Water

Today sees the launch of Drowning Prevention Week, a joint initiative of Swim Ireland and the Royal Life Saving Society. A campaign that takes on greater significance this summer, as more people than ever are visiting Irish beaches due to the fact that Covid-19 has caused the closure of supervised swimming pools and has restricted international travel. 

The 60-second radio ad, created by Boys+Girls creative agency, takes a simple phrase that all Irish parents are used to hearing on a daily basis, and imbues it with new meaning. The spot starts off happy with a little girl playing in the water and shouting “DADDY! DADDY! LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT ME!” She repeats this phrase over and over again, as she gets into more difficulty. Her cries go from happy and carefree to desperate and terrified.

Fiona Whelan, Swim Ireland’s director of sponsorship, commented: “Drowning is the 2nd biggest cause of accidental deaths for Irish children. So, this Drowning Prevention Week we are appealing to all Irish people to #BeALifesaver. This radio ad will hopefully grab people’s attention and will make it clear to guardians that they should never take their eyes off their children when they are in the water.” 

Kris Clarkin, creative director at Boys+Girls, said: “This radio spot was designed to bring the dangers of swimming unsupervised into sharp focus for the listener. Radio is an incredibly powerful medium for this type of message. Our hope is that it starts a conversation in Ireland and acts as a reminder to parents and guardians of the importance of supervising children in the water.” 

The spot was sound designed by Mutiny Studios and recorded on location on Sandymount Beach and Marion College swimming pool.