Bridgestone Takes Flight in Campaign from Serviceplan Middle East

Bridgestone MEA worked with Nasser Bin Addullatif Alserkal and RTA on a potentially life-saving health check campaign, designed to offer free health screenings to UAE truck drivers and consequently improve fitness and road safety.

Launching the campaign is an online film sensitively directed by Nixon Freire out of Hanzo Films.  The film follows a truck driver named Sukhjhinder Singh, who explains how he misses his family in India, and talks about his gruelling 24-hour schedule, which allows him only a couple of hours sleep in the cabin of his truck by the roadside. He has driven 1 million km without an accident, so for some respite from his work routine, Bridgestone arranged for him to view the road from another perspective – 1km above the ground in a hot air balloon.

You can watch the film below:

Through the film, Bridgestone MEA invites fleet owners to enrol their teams in the ‘Eyes on the road’ health check-up and awareness roadshow, which is aimed at contributing to a healthier and safer society.  The film is part of a social media and digital communication strategy conceived by Serviceplan Middle East, and kicks off a 3-week event, during which truck drivers can take part in a free health check-up at one of several strategically positioned truck stops in the UAE.  The health screenings will be managed by medical professionals and include checks on BMI, blood pressure, eyes and ears.  

The motivation is to encourage 1,000 truck drivers to have a health check-up. The check-up stations will be positioned at truck stops where drivers park up to rest on long journeys, position across major highways of the UAE in Sharjah, Dubai and Abu Dhabi.  As well as a health check-up, drivers will be able to play computer games linked to fitness and mobility skills and have refreshments. 

There will also be a print campaign involving a billboard on the building where the drivers live, making them aware of the event and encouraging them to go for a check-up. 

Serviceplan Middle East have devised a social media strategy to raise awareness of the free truck driver health checks via Facebook and Instagram, with live streams of the events, Bridgestone product giveaways to participants, and Instagram and Facebook stories. 

Berna Akinci, Head of Marketing, Bridgestone MEA commented: “Safety is a value that is reflected in the quality of our products.  That is why this CSR campaign is very important to us. We appreciate the hard work and long hours that truck drivers dedicate to delivering goods and commodities, and it’s our responsibility to keep them and everyone around them safe on the roads.  We are happy to be collaborating with Serviceplan Middle East to spread such an important message and celebrate the truck drivers – our heroes of the road.”