Understanding and Messaging to At Risk Drivers - At Risk Driver Segmentation September 2008

1. Strategic Communications Forum “Communicating in an Era of Change” Understanding and Messaging to At Risk Drivers - At Risk Driver Segmentation September 2008 Prepared for: Special Thanks to:

2. Background and Methodology

3. Background and Objectives To reduce drunk driving, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”) wanted to “message” more effectively to “Drivers At Risk” • “Drivers at Risk” were defined as drivers who are: • 18 to 44 • Drive 10+ times per week • Drink alcohol 2+ days per week; • In the past month, have drunk 3+ drinks (female) or 4+ drinks (male) on at least one occasion • Captured information about: • Self-reported behaviors • Perceptions • Attitudes • Perceived risks in drinking and driving • Lifestyle/leisure interests • Demographics

4. Research Methodology • 20 minute Web survey • 834 respondents • First two weeks of May, 2007 • “Soft quotas” by age-group • 18-20: 7% • 21-24: 41% • 25-34: 38% • 35-44: 14%

5. Summary of Overall Findings

6. Share of “Bad” DUI’s Share of At-Risk Drivers • If they could be identified and “reached” … • The greatest opportunity to reduce at-risk driving is by focusing on “Drivers Most At Risk” • 18% of At-Risk Drivers do 82% of “serious driving under the influence” (driving within 1 hour of having 3 or more drinks) • Such drivers are for the most part more attitudinally resistant to changing their behaviors

7. The Three R’s: Reasons Rationales, and perceived Risks POPOV: Perceptions, Opinions, and Points Of View The Two I’s: Impacts, and Influences of others Summary of Findings (Continued) • The greatest opportunity to reduce at-risk driving is focusing on “Drivers Most At Risk.” • The most effective communication “levers” for reducing at-risk driving are to be found in the perceptions – and misperceptions – of At Risk Drivers

8. Summary of Findings (Continued) • The greatest opportunity to reduce at-risk driving is focusing on “Drivers Most At Risk.” • The most effective “levers” to reduce at-risk driving are rooted in “The 3 R’s, the 2 I’s, … and the ‘POPOV’”. • The most effective way to message is to “attack on multiple fronts” … • Rational AND emotional appeals • Attack and undermine dysfunctional attitudes, but … • Recognize denial mechanisms • Move incrementally • Target the environment (at the bar/restaurant level)

9. Summary of Findings (Continued) • The greatest opportunity to reduce at-risk driving is focusing on “Drivers Most At Risk.” • The most effective “levers” to reduce at-risk driving are rooted in “The 3 R’s, the 2 I’s, … and the ‘POPOV’”. • The most effective way to message is to “attack on multiple fronts.” • Many At-Risk Drivers have a drinking problem … • Makes modifying behavior more difficult • Must be appealed to indirectly – so they don’t just “turn off the message”

10. With Limited Resources …How Can We Effectively– and Efficiently –Target Efforts to Reduce DUI??? • Which At-Risk Drivers should we focus on? • Which messages should we use? • Different messages for different At-Risk Drivers? • Other “levers” of public policy?

11. Elements of a Segmentation • A guy walks into a bar…

12. A “Divide and Conquer” Strategy: Segmentation • IDENTIFY AND PROFILE “clusters” who require: • Different messages • Different approaches • SELECT AND PRIORITIZE most important groups by: • Levels of risk • Ability to influence behavior • STRATEGIZE on how to reach these groups (based on situations, attitudes, perceptions, beliefs, preferred media etc.) • TARGET RESOURCES to achieve best “bang for the buck:” • Advertising & PR • Law enforcement • Public policy

13. Introducing: The Five At-Risk Driver Segments

14. They are most … • Likely to think it is OK to drink and drive “as long as no one gets hurt” • They are more … • Likely to have been arrested for DUI • Likely to believe that they will get off lightly Introducing … Middle-Class Risk Takers “I live my life and don’t worry too much about the consequences ” • They are least … • Fearful of DUI penalties • Likely to take precautions to avoid driving after drinking • Interested in being in being designated driver

15. Middle-Class Risk Takers: Profile Indexes of 100 = Average for all At-Risk Drivers • Demographics: • Lower-middle socio-economics • Less likely to be white • More likely to have kids 20% Of At Risk Drivers 18% Of DUI Incidents

16. Middle Class Risk Takers: Implications • Segment is of “medium importance” (medium risk) • Segment has a “bad attitude” – so they will be harder to influence • Segment is unusually likely to have been arrested – but the experience “wasn’t so bad” • To keep individuals from entering this segment, raise the pain of penalties • Increase the visibility of enforcement • A sub-group has particularly high levels of DUI – get them off the road!

17. Middle Class Risk Takers: Messaging Strategies • Although they “care less” about risks and penalties, messaging should “push the button” of their greatest fears: • Killing someone • Going to jail • Losing their license • Getting arrested • Getting fined.

18. Introducing … Socially Accountable Drinkers • They are most … • Likely to fear that someone will get hurt/killed • Likely to fear legal/financial/ social consequences • Interested in “being a good person” “I’m likely to take precautions so I don’t put myself and others at risk by drinking and driving.” • They are more: • Willing to be a designated driver • Likely to plan ahead for drinking occasions • Likely to drink for taste, or to complement a meal

19. Socially Accountable Drinkers: Profile • Demographics: • Older • More likely to be married • Above-average income • More likely than the average to: • Agree that drunk drivers are a problem • Think others look down on drunk drivers • Think drunk drivers are likely to be punished 22% Of At Risk Drivers 11% Of DUI Incidents

20. Socially Accountable Drinkers: Implications • Segment is a long-term, slow-but-steady risk of DUI • They have passed the age where they are “merely experimenting” – and are likely to keep occasionally drinking and driving • They moderate their drinking and driving -- so they “fly under the radar” • Good news: They are not as drunk when they drive • Bad news: They are less likely to get taken off the road

21. Socially Accountable Drinkers: Messaging Strategies • Segment has: • High focus on the risks to themselves/concern for others • High concern for opinions/judgments of others • Strong desire to fulfill a positive self image • A strong interest in “responsible behaviors” • Ads should therefore feature: • Consequences to others (those hurt in an accident, their own families) • Consequences to themselves (social shame, getting arrested, going to jail, losing job, losing license, etc.) • Reinforcement of responsible behaviors and how good it feels to “do the right thing” • A warning: “Remember -- it only has to happen once”

22. Introducing … Inexperienced Social Drinkers • They are … • Most likely to be 21 to 24 • Most likely to be interested in “getting drunk” • Often drink with groups of friends – who strongly influence them • Somewhat less willing to be a designated driver • But most likely to use one “Let’s Party!” • More likely to “stick around ‘til they they sober up” • Most likely to drink due to under “positive” circumstances or with positive emotions

23. Inexperienced Social Drinkers: Profile • Demographics: • Young & single • Going to school – and renting • Average 5.3 drinks per occasion • More likely to ride with someone DUIing • More likely to say: • “It’s not easy to find a way home after drinking unless you drive yourself” • “It’s impossible to have good time when you are a designated driver” 19% Of At Risk Drivers 26% Of DUI Incidents

24. Inexperienced Social Drinkers: Implications • Assuming they survive, some will “grow up” -- but others will “graduate” into long-term problem DUIs • The goals should be: • Keep them alive and help them avoid the riskiest behaviors • Get the most dangerous ones off the road • Divert them from “progressing” into other Segments • They are more likely than other drivers at risk to use a designated driver and/or to spend the night: • Encourage this behavior

25. Inexperienced Social Drinkers: Messaging Strategies • “Make the party stop” – show the consequencesof DUI: • Getting arrested/jail • Loss of license • Increased insurance rates • Someone getting killed. • “The party is more fun when precautions are taken”(planning ahead, designated drivers, spending the night, etc.) • Make it socially acceptable to seek – and offer – help/ intervention: feature role models who make it “cool” to plan ahead, and who make it “stupid” to take bad risks for no purpose • Get bartenders to help: states/localities should seek (and enforce) help from bartenders in keeping young drinkers off the road • Interventions for binge drinking

26. Introducing … Responsible Drinkers • They are least likely to … • Drink excessively • Have DUI’d in the last 12 months • Fear killing/hurting someone while DUIing • The are most likely to … • Be older and/or married • Drink to complement a meal, at restaurants, and at family gatherings “I’m unlikely to drive after having too much to drink” • They also believe that … • Their drinking is under control • They are not likely to cause an accident while drinking/driving • Drunk driving laws should be enforced

27. Responsible Drinkers: Profile • Demographics: 25-44, at least a college degree, married with kids, high socio-economics • Less likely than average to say: • “The penalties for drunk driving are too harsh” • “It is not a big deal to lose your license if you get caught Drinking and Driving” • “It’s impossible to have good time when you are a designated driver” • “I sometimes don’t realize when I’ve had too much to drink” 21% Of At Risk Drivers 8% Of DUI Incidents

28. Responsible Drinkers: Implications • Segment is a much lower threat to DUI • Don’t “target” segment, but primarily count on “spillover effect” of messaging to other segments • Caveat:Survey results are based on “self-reported behavior:” Are these drinkers really as well controlled as they maintain?

29. Responsible Drinkers: Messaging Strategies • As with Socially Accountable drinkers, a good message is: • “It only has to happen once” • Use segment’s belief in enforcement to remind them of their obligations • Use their interest in “being a good person” to remind them how good it feels to “do the right thing” • A “wake-up call” from “cognitive dissonance:” • Show an individual who talks about how bad drunk drivers are, -- then show the same individual justifying driving because “he’s only had a few ….”

30. Introducing … Discontented Blue Collars • They are the most: • Likely to drink to get drunk – espe-cially when they are feeling bad! • At risk – • For drinking heavily • For driving under the influence • For getting arrested “Let me drown my sorrows” • They are more likely: • To believe that they can “get away with it” • To admit that “I don’t always know when I’ve had too much” • … but they also: • Worry about the consequences of DUI • Are more willing to take precautions – so they can give themselves permission to “really get plowed.”

31. Discontented Blue Collars: Profile 18% Of At Risk Drivers Demographics:Less education, less employed, bit younger, unmarried Average 6.1 drinks per occasion– and 44% have been arrested for DUI More likely than average to say 37% Of DUI Incidents • “It’s impossible to have a good time and be a designated driver” • “The penalties for drunk driving are too harsh”

32. Discontented Blue Collars: Implications • Segment most at risk: • Heavy drinking • High DUIs • False perceptions about ability to drink and drive • Dangerous attitudes and beliefs • Heavy drinking is driven by negative emotion/depression. • Reaching and influencing this segment is a real challenge. • Important to enforce DUI laws: get them off the road! • Provide and mandate treatment for both alcoholism and for likely depression • Place some of the accountability on the drinking establishment.

33. Discontented Blue Collars: Messaging Strategies • Because they especially fear them, focus on consequences: • Arrest • Loss of license • Fines • Increased insurance rates • They are more willing to consider strategies to avoid driving when they drink • Stress: “If you’re going to tie one on, plan ahead – and get some help.” • Make it socially acceptable to seek – and offer – help/intervention

34. Thank you