Insurance Bureau of Canada readies injury campaign
By Adnews Staff
The Toronto-based Insurance Bureau of Canada will break a $5.8 million national advertising campaign next week that will consist of safety messages intended to help prevent injuries among Canadians. The television and radio ads will form the second phase of an initiative that began with a series of community events in North Bay, ON and Truro, NS. An event will also take place in Lethbridge, AB next month. The events consist of exhibits such as an ice rescue, helmet safety demonstrations at local arenas and ski hills, and a day-long Safety Expo held at a shopping mall. The 90- and 30-second TV commercials, which will run until the first week of April, will air during high-profile programs on CTV and CBC, including Hockey Night in Canada and broadcasts of the Winter Olympic Games. The organization hopes to make 78 million impressions in the 25- to 54-year-old age group. Ten-second closed-captioning sponsorship ads will also be used. The creative uses the tagline, "Be Smart. Be Safe" and presents safety tips on snowmobiling, winter driving and the use of helmets for skiing, snowboarding and cycling. The 30-second radio ads address the same topics and direct listeners to a website located at <http://www.besmartbesafe.ca>. The campaign was produced by The Gabor Group of Toronto. The branding was developed by Vopni & Parsons. Media Dimensions handled media planning and buying for television, while Sound Source Networks handled the radio buy. "Injury is a serious problem, and Canada's home, car and business insurers are addressing it with multiple solutions, including community outreach events, national advertising, a website and public relations," said Mary Lou O'Reilly, vice-president of public affairs and marketing at the bureau. "While the events receive strong support from people in each community we visit, the TV and radio ads will provide a national stage to deliver our message to a broader Canadian audience." According to the bureau, 6,000 Canadians are injured each day resulting in 37 deaths. These injuries cost the Canadian health care system an estimated $14.7 billion a year, according to the organization.