In Thailand, only 45% of motorbike riders wear a helmet. Many feel safe because they are only travelling short distances within their neighbourhood. The statistics tell another story about rider safety. GREYnJ United wondered if being offered a helmet that once belonged to someone who had died in an accident would make them change their mind.
Approximately 12,000 people die in fatal crashes annually, and 74% of road deaths are motorcyclists. The lack of helmet use is the most common reason
Every year, Thailand’s Songkran New Year Festival is celebrated with the smiles of Thailand through joyful water splashing and heartwarming family reunions. Sadly, the revelry and joy are dampened for many because of the high number of road deaths that occur at this time of year, making these roads one of the most dangerous in the world. This was the ideal time for Thai Health Promotion Fund (SSF) and GREYnJ United to launch its Second Life Helmet campaign.
The mind-changing campaign, The Second Life Helmet, aimed to raise awareness among new and existing motorcyclists of the dangers and consequences of riding without a helmet.
Almost every rider receives a helmet when they purchase a motorbike. In collaboration with 32 motorcycle shops, a social experiment was carried out to observe the reaction of new motorcyclists who received a “helmet” to which a sticker was attached.
The sticker on each helmet told a story as it was previously owned by “former riders” who no longer had the opportunity to use their helmet because they were involved in a fatal accident while travelling without wearing one. The helmets were donated by family members of someone who had died, hoping those who were made aware of the story would be encouraged to always wear a helmet.
A one-minute and forty-second film recorded the reaction of first-time motorcycle buyers when they received their helmet, read the stickers, and were then told the tragic details of how the original helmet owner met his death.
Sompat Trisadikun, chief creative officer, GREYnJ UNITED Bangkok, stated, “The revival of helmets belonging to riders who have passed is a reminder for bikers to take road safety more seriously and to wear a helmet every time they ride. The so-called ‘nudging’ technique brings psychological insights that influence people’s behaviour, producing heightened feelings of loss aversion. As a result, road safety becomes a top priority in the bikers’ mind, and this reduces fatalities.”
The campaign also used ambient media, such as QR codes on posters lined up along congested Bangkok routes. Passes-by could scan the code to read the stories or listen to a close relative speak of the helmets’ original owner on the TikTok channel.
Credits
Client: Thai Health Promotion Foundation
Supatnuj Sorndamrih: Senior Director of Social Marketing
Kiatikun Siriwetchmongkolchai: Social Marketing Specialist
Thanawat Ngamkham: Social Marketing Officer
Agency: GREYnJ UNITED
Chairwoman: Kanaporn Hutcheson
Chief Creative Officer: Sompat Trisadikun,
Chief Operating Officer: Kanokkorn Seehapan
Head of Production: Kree Mangkang
Creative Director: Kanchat Chotewattanakul
Art Director: Nassara Laowma
PR manager: Saengwit Kewaleewongsatorn
Senior Copywriter: Khamolchanok Masaphan
Account Director: Nattida Sangchai
Senior Account Executive: Piyamapon Thiprapan
VDO Editor: Ronnakorn Phantawongsupakorn
Animating & Editing Manager: Chayakorn Jansee
