This guy just got schooled on drunk driving risks in a very visual way.
There’s something to be said for the effective use of abject terror in getting across a public service message, as illustrated by a recent PSA produced using footage from a hidden camera in a British pub loo (that’s “restroom” across the Pond). We here at E3 Spark Plugs got quite the jolt when we first saw the video, and apparently so did a million others.
The 52-second video which quickly went viral shows unsuspecting pub patrons, who presumably have already enjoyed a cocktail or two, wandering into a bar bathroom. While looking into the mirror, they’re suddenly face-to-face, literally, with the bloodied noggin of a woman smashing through the glass.
While producers won’t say, we’re pretty sure the unnerved guys appearing in the PSA were actually paid performers rather than random pub patrons. And, of course, the bloodied head belongs to an unfortunate mannequin. But the scene is clearly designed to replicate what a drunken driver may see in the event of a tragic accident that sends a victim through a car’s windshield. And it’s driving the sobering point home quite well, many say.
“…Very direct and hits the effect of drink driving bang on!” says one commenter.
“That’ll make them sober indeed,” writes another.
Of course, a few viewers were none too impressed:
“Not funny. You could give someone a heart attack.”
“I’m never gonna wash my hands.”
Love it or hate it, this PSA is getting attention worldwide. Within two weeks the piece produced by Leo Burnett London racked up more than 1 million views and got Twitter buzzing. Hopefully, it’s got people worldwide thinking twice about having “just one more” before getting behind the wheel. Statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, upwards of 30 Americans per day die in drunk driving accidents nationwide – that’s a fatality every 48 minutes.
What do you think? Does the PSA hit home or miss the mark? Post your thoughts on the E3 Spark Plugs Facebook Fan Page.
