At least they didn't drive

The grim statistics in Germany: Every 15 minutes, an alcohol-related traffic accident occurs.
In 2024 alone, this led to nearly 18,000 injuries or deaths. Despite constant warnings from the Federal Ministry of Transport, drunk driving remains a serious societal issue, not least because alcohol plays a natural role in many social situations.

Instead of relying once again on the classic shock approach, we deliberately chose to fully explore the variety of communication: with humor, a unique spin, and a message that sticks. The result proved the concept was spot on.

Client Bundesministerium für Verkehr (BMV) und Deutscher Verkehrssicherheitsrats (DVR)
Agency Scholz & Friends
Year 2025 & 2026
Awards PlakaDiva 2026 (Silber – Shortlist), ADC 2026 (3x Shortlist), Comprix 2026 (Shortlist)

The solution: “Dumb Ideas” with a clear message

On behalf of the Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV) and the German Road Safety Council (DVR), our campaign under the #mehrAchtung umbrella breaks conventions. It takes a radically new approach to prevention communication: humor instead of shock.

We tap into the concept of “dumb ideas” that often come to mind when intoxicated, reminding people of the one truly dumb idea: driving drunk. With striking, AI-generated visuals and the concise message “At least you didn’t drive”, we address the target audience directly.

The visuals were strategically placed at traffic hotspots and party zones during New Year’s and Carnival and distributed via social media. The use of AI enabled the safe and rapid creation of numerous authentic-looking images. To ensure legal compliance, we replaced faces with those of voluntary participants and removed all brand names, logos, and similar elements during post-production, ensuring that all personality, trademark, and copyright rights were fully respected.

Impressing results

The innovative approach paid off: Within the first 48 hours, the campaign achieved over 18.3 million impressions. The message was displayed on more than 1,750 analog and digital screens in public spaces across Germany, made possible in part by our media partners Ströer, Wall, and Hygh, who generously supported the project with a wide range of free ad spaces. This ensured massive reach and impact.