Driving Toward Safety
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As text messaging became more than a passing fad for teenagers, AT&T Inc. (T) searched for a way to warn consumers about the dangers of texting while driving. The company says it conducted a focus group to create a program to deter messaging.
“We asked them to take out their devices and read the last text they received,” says Gail Torreano, AT&T’s senior vice president, employee communications and corporate sponsorships. “Then we asked, ‘Is that last message really worth getting in an accident and potentially killing someone?’ ”
The result of the focus group is a multimedia campaign titled “Txtng & Drivng…It Can Wait.” Television spots, print, radio and online components, as well as warning messages printed on the plastic clings that protect screens on new devices in AT&T stores, detail the dangers of texting and driving.
AT&T has also launched a Facebook application where individuals can pledge not to text while driving. Recognizing pledges, the company contributed $250,000 to organizations devoted to safe driving practices, including National Organizations for Youth Safety.
AT&T says its commitment to raising awareness outweighed any risk of being associated with dangerous activities. “This isn’t about the phone; it’s what you’re doing with the phone,” Torreano says. “We needed to communicate the dangers of what could happen.”
