Music can affect driving behaviour. Allianz Ireland and their creative agency Forsman & Bodenfors Dublin realised the powers of this to make roads safer. So they worked with Spotify’s unique streaming intelligence and insights to develop personalised playlists designed to promote calmer driving patterns and improved reaction times.
An oddly perfect duo was cast – social media science star Emanuel “Big Manny” Wallace and legendary drummer from The Police, Stewart Copeland.
Together, they appear in a series of spots that explain the science behind music’s impact on driving – songs at 80 beats per minute (BPM) or lower have been scientifically shown to promote calmer driving patterns and improved reaction times.**
The Seat Belters initiative, available now at https://www.allianz.ie/spotify.html, generates personalised playlists designed to promote better driving. By identifying tracks with a BPM lower than 80, the experience encourages a more relaxed driving pace, rooted in science-backed behavioural insights.
“Multiple studies show that music above 120 BPM can raise heart rate and encourage faster, more aggressive driving,” stated Mark Brennan, chief marketing officer at Allianz Ireland. Seat Belters uses music science to nudge people toward safer driving in a natural, engaging way. We’re proud to work with Forsman & Bodenfors to bring this to life on Spotify.”
“When Allianz challenged us to create something that could help improve driver safety, we developed the core idea for Seat Belters around the behavioural science of music,” commented Damian Hanley, executive creative director at Forsman & Bodenfors Dublin. “With Spotify’s unique streaming intelligence, we transformed that idea into an experience that’s culturally relevant, innovative, and potentially life-saving.”
The Seat Belters experience is available for Spotify users in Ireland, UK, Austria and Australia.
Credits
Client: Allianz Ireland
Chief Marketing Officer: Mark Brennan
Marketing Communications Manager: Valerie Hedin
Marketing Communications Executive: Rachel Hanratty
Marketing Communications Specialist: Carrie McGrath
Marketing Communications Intern: Gabriela Dyrcz
Advertising Agency: Forsman & Bodenfors Dublin
Executive Creative Director: Damian Hanley
Art Director: Helen O’Higgins
Copywriter: Gerry McBride
Head of Brand Design: Nicole McMahon
Senior Designer: Alan Ruane
Head of Content Production: Ciaran Walsh
Head of Planning and Behavioural Insights: Niamh Murphy
Client Director: Pia Schuster, Anna Hickey & Sarah Deeny
Production Company: Vibrant Films
Director: Herman duToit
Creative Director: Stephen Reynolds
Creative Producer: Michael Roulstone
Assistant Director: Cara Gaynor
Director of Photography: Ignas Laugalis
Camera Assistant: James Marnell
Gaffer: Eoghan Hand
Best Boy: Rory Fitzpatrick
Sound Technician: Ross Carew
Editor: Herman duToit
Animation: Kevin Goss Ross
Colour Grade: Stephen Reynolds
Post-Production Audio: Herman duToit
BTS Video & Stills: Tigran Chakhoian, Kevin Goss Ross
LED Screen Supply & Operation: Visual X
Studio: The Complex
