New commercial in MI using shock value

Mommy0608 · Jun 8, 2010

Didn't see this posted yet, sorry if it's a repeat. I saw this on the news last night. MI law is that kids need a booster seat until age 8 or 4'9" tall. This commercial shows kids riding on top of cars, saying that riding without a booster seat is just as dangerous.

Here's a link to an article about it, and the video is below.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeTxeRXYj20"]link to the commercial on Youtube[/ame]

Maedze · Jun 8, 2010

I like the video, but I wish it would say kids under 4'9" rather than under 8.

MomToEliEm · Jun 8, 2010

I like the video. I was a little worried that they actually filmed the kids riding that way, but then reading the article it says it was all done with a green screen so I felt much better.

Mommy0608 · Jun 8, 2010

I agree, saying 4'9" might have been better since size so important with belt fit. I guess there's already some controversy about the video... not sure what, whether it's the wording or the fact that it appears to show kids riding so dangerously.

joolsplus3 · Jun 8, 2010

Mommy0608 said:
I agree, saying 4'9" might have been better since size so important with belt fit. I guess there's already some controversy about the video... not sure what, whether it's the wording or the fact that it appears to show kids riding so dangerously.

"Hey! I'm a good mother, I make my kid buckle up, how dare you say I'm endangering him the same as if I put him on the top of the car??? I never rode in a booster and I'm just fine! This ad is just stupid!"

Yeah, easy to see how it could be controversial. I used to ride on top of the car on our private dirt road, but we had a roof rack to hold on to. Duh

It's a little too shocking, they could be a tad more subtle and not raise hackles so much and they might get a better response. Interesting attempt, though...

Maedze · Jun 8, 2010

Also? The big dude driving the car in the freeze frame needs his head rest raised by about 3"

jjordan · Jun 8, 2010

Maedze said:
I like the video, but I wish it would say kids under 4'9" rather than under 8.

Although they're saying it's the law for kids under 8. It probably isn't the law (although should be) for kids under 4'9".

TerisBoys · Jun 8, 2010

jjordan said:
Although they're saying it's the law for kids under 8. It probably isn't the law (although should be) for kids under 4'9".

MI is an "or" state - 8yo OR 80# OR 4'9".

Which means my boys' step-sis, who's smaller than my Ryan (~45#, ~45") is riding in just a seatbelt. Because she's 9. Because it's legal. *mumbles*

jjordan · Jun 8, 2010

Ah, got it. NY just has the age rule so, combined with what the commercial said, I assumed MI was the same. I agree then that the commercial should have said 4'9" instead, although I can see why they said 8 - everyone knows how old their kid is, not everyone knows how tall they are.

BookMama · Jun 8, 2010

TerisBoys said:
MI is an "or" state - 8yo OR 80# OR 4'9".

FYI, there's no weight component to the law in Michigan - it's 8YO or 4'9", whichever comes first.

I'm not sure I like the ad. Because, um, I'm not so sure I agree that driving around with your child on top of the car is the same as driving around with your booster-sized child in a seatbelt instead of a booster. :twocents:

Anybody know who did the ad?

Dillipop · Jun 8, 2010

I don't find the ad shocking at all. Mostly because riding on the roof is obviously much deadlier than riding without a booster. At least without a booster (and using a belt) there is a chance the child won't be ejected from the car. On the roof, absolutely no chance.

I wish commercials would become more shocking. I think the ones from Europe are great. Show crash test dummies if real life scenerios aren't good for the US audience. But something has to get through people's heads about how much safer using proper restraints is than just a belt for kids 6-12.

Mommy0608 · Jun 8, 2010

BookMama said:
Anybody know who did the ad?

MI OHSP, I think.

swtgi1982 · Jul 6, 2010

Mommy0608 said:
MI OHSP, I think.

michigan office of highway safety planning and the US Dept of transportation

BookMama · Aug 14, 2010

Thought I'd report back on how this commercial is working (anecdotally, of course).

I worked a seat check event in Detroit's Mexicantown today. Low income area, very little car seat knowledge. We give caregivers a multiple-choice quiz before we check their seats and a quiz afterward, so we can gauge how effectively we're educating them.

Anyway, nearly everyone misses the question about how old/big a child has to be before they can legally not use a car seat (8yrs or 4'9). Today, most of the caregivers I had got it right, even on the pre-test! I asked those folks whether they had guessed, or whether they really knew the answer. Most of them said they'd see the commercials on TV lately, and some specifically mentioned this commercial.

So ..... :thumbsup:

for reaching this very hard-to-reach population.

Mommy0608 · Aug 15, 2010

BookMama said:
Thought I'd report back on how this commercial is working (anecdotally, of course).

I worked a seat check event in Detroit's Mexicantown today. Low income area, very little car seat knowledge. We give caregivers a multiple-choice quiz before we check their seats and a quiz afterward, so we can gauge how effectively we're educating them.

Anyway, nearly everyone misses the question about how old/big a child has to be before they can legally not use a car seat (8yrs or 4'9). Today, most of the caregivers I had got it right, even on the pre-test! I asked those folks whether they had guessed, or whether they really knew the answer. Most of them said they'd see the commercials on TV lately, and some specifically mentioned this commercial.

So ..... :thumbsup: for reaching this very hard-to-reach population.

Wow, that's great! :thumbsup:

New commercial in MI using shock value

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