Don’t let your ‘tequila face’ be your last

Drinking and driving is a huge problem in SA. According to the Road Traffic Management Corporation’s “Driver Intoxication and Fatal Crashes Report”, published March 2020, The contribution of alcohol intoxication and human behavioural risk factors are estimated to contribute to 90% of road traffic crashes. 

A report by the World Health Organisation shows 58% of road accident deaths in SA involved alcohol, making us the world’s worst country for drunk driving. Most drivers know alcohol impairs driving ability, and even with the implementation of zero tolerance, we don’t take this seriously.

Arrive Alive, SA’s leading road safety authority, together with integrated brand and communications group Joe Public United, embarked on a shock-tactic campaign that drinkers would not be able to ignore. Based on the insight that your #TequilaFace is the same face you would pull the moment before impact in a car accident, the campaign visuals and tone aimed to surprise viewers with the scary warning, “Don't Let Your #TequilaFace Be Your Last”. It forces drivers to consider their mortality when choosing to drink and get behind the wheel.

“We want to get people talking and questioning their behaviour by encouraging citizens to pledge on tequilaface.co.za to never drink and drive. We want to help drinkers establish more responsible habits and empower those who pledge to enjoy a night out and get home safely,” says Megan Perks, executive creative director at Joe Public United.

The multi-phased anti-drunk driving campaign, which aimed to captivate consumers, spark conversations and drive awareness, launched on March 23. For a surprising twist, the campaign launch included the rollout of a new tequila brand called Vida õ Muerte, which means “Life or Death” in Spanish. 

The new tequila rolled out across social media, digital and billboards, with engaging messages that called for consumers to share their #TequilaFace. The agency partnered with three brand ambassadors, actress Anele Ney Zondo, influencer Moshe Ndiki, and rapper Chad Mansoor to bring the campaign visuals to life and connect with partygoers. 

“Our ambassador’s #TequilaFace images have been altered to reveal the same #TequilaFace in a car accident visual. Not only is this idea a creative and conceptual way to gain talkability in today’s attention economy, but it also shows the need for crafted digital content that is unforgettable and imagery that evokes emotion and deeper meaning,” says Perks.

The creative captures that moment between life and death. Even the tequila bottle itself exposes its dark side; using a UV light a hidden message is exposed to further highlight the life or death choice each of us face when we go on a wild ride and drive drunk.

For more information on the campaign, visit www.tequilaface.co.za, www.arrivealive.mobi, follow @TequilaFaceSA @_ArriveAlive and the hashtags #TequilaFace #ArriveAlive #LongLiveTequilaFace.

This article was paid for by Joe Public