Caltrans “Slow for the Cone Zone” Goes “Slow Mo” on the Web
Caltrans Uses Innovative New Media to Reach Teens, Young Adults
SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Beginning May 21, teen and young adult drivers from all over California
will have the chance to participate in Caltrans’
Slow for the Cone Zone’s first Online
Entertainment Community, Slow Mo Films. Similar to an online social
networking community – think Facebook and
MySpace — Slow Mo Films is specifically
focused on entertaining teens and young adults, while helping to educate
them about the importance of driver safety.
Caltrans is launching Slow Mo Films, as part of its 2008 Slow for the
Cone Zone public education campaign efforts. The promotional element was
designed to engage young adult drivers and promote the message that “slower
is better” in and around highway work zones.
This is a pioneer effort for Caltrans, and a first for a California
state agency, many of which often rely upon much more traditional
advertising like radio and billboard campaigns to promote their
messages. Caltrans, however, realizes the importance of reaching young
audiences and decided to break the mold and take a much more creative
and innovative approach to its campaign efforts.
“This is an exciting opportunity for everyone
involved,” said Caltrans Communications
Director Mark DeSio. “It’s
the first time we’ve tried to reach young
drivers through such an innovative method and we think they’ll
respond well. Hopefully this Online Entertainment Community will provide
a fun, creative outlet for them while reminding them to slow down when
driving. It’s important and educational for
Caltrans to hear what young drivers think about safety, and it will be
fun for us to see what they post to Slow Mo Films as part of this great
new campaign.”
As part of its launch, Slow Mo Films will hold a video contest,
sponsored by Clear Channel Media, in which young drivers are asked to
post a 15-second slow motion film — one that
highlights something that looks exceptionally interesting and cool in
slow motion — on the Web site, where judges
will select the top 10 most creative films. Videos can be watched and
uploaded during the months of May through July and, during the month of
August, visitors to the www.SlowMoFilms.com
Web site will be able to vote for their favorite video to make it the
winner.
Site visitors can expect some fun, entertaining and unique entries. Film
subjects are at the creative disposal of the filmmakers, which gives
young drivers the opportunity to really use some artistic freedom and
create what they think their friends will want to see, and what will
help them win. What’s better, they’ll
be promoting driving safety and awareness to their peers, an even more
important aspect of the campaign, especially since many high schools are
no longer able to offer driver safety information to their students.
Clear Channel Media, as the contest sponsor, will award prizes including
$500, $1,500 and $2,500 in cash, a Nintendo Wii, and an Apple iPhone to
three creative winners and two lucky voters. With these prizes, the
potential for a little fame and a YouTube-style approach, this contest
is clearly an innovative step that will allow Slow for the Cone Zone
safety messages to reach young drivers statewide. Caltrans is not a
sponsor of the contest, nor are any state funds involved.
Slow for the Cone Zone is designed to help save the lives of drivers and
workers on California highways. Because nearly 85 percent of work zone
fatalities are driver deaths, the Slow Mo Films Online Entertainment
Community will alert young drivers to always be aware and slow down in
work zones to protect their own lives.
Funding for the Slow for the Cone Zone public education program was
provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety,
through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.