Xbox Live Campaign

December 2007 saw RSS using an innovative, completely new way of getting its drink driving message across - targeting Scottish online console gamers. The initiative was the first of its kind to be used in the UK and involved IP (Internet Protocol) targeting to regionalise the in-game advertising campaign.

The campaign tapped directly into Xbox Live's 18-24 year old user base, with drink driving adverts appearing in games such as EA’s 'Need for Speed Pro Speed', 'Need for Speed Carbon' and Microsoft Games Studio’s 'Project Gotham Racing'. At a time when 24% of all adult media consumption is online, 69% of all Scots are online and 68% of young men aged 12-17 have a games’ console in their home, the potential of such advertising is clear to see.

Research had shown that gamers get so involved in their virtual world, that it results in a heightened sense of awareness and this had been shown to score very highly in advertising effectiveness studies.

An added benefit of this particular campaign was the amount of PR generated. Coverage appeared in places which could not normally be reached by paid-for media such as the Scottish press, Radio 4's Today programme, the BBC website and dozens of links appearing in Google (type in 'xbox drink drive').

Michael McDonnell, Director of RSS was delighted that this project had gone live: "We need to look beyond the conventional methods of addressing key road safety issues which affect young people and I believe that the positioning of the drink-drive message in online console games will serve as an ever-present reminder to young Scots about the consequences of drink-driving".