Xbox 360 Gets Anti-Drink Driving Ads

The Scottish Government is trying a new approach to warning youngsters against the perils of drink driving: inserting adverts into Xbox 360 games.

£10,000 is being spent on the campaign to put adverts on in-game virtual billboards. The titles set to feature the ads include Need for Speed: Carbon, Need for Speed:ProStreet, Project Gotham Racing 4, NBA Live and Pro Evolution Soccer 2008.

Should this trial prove successful, the Scottish government tells us, the same approach could be used for other road safety messages.

Scottish Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson said, "With statistics showing that road deaths, particularly among young people, are continuing to rise, it is clear we must look at new ways of getting road safety messages across. This is exactly the kind of initiative we should be trying.

"It is innovative, it is new, and it is far removed from the more traditional methods we have been using. I believe that is what we need if we are to reverse the number of Scots families suffering the tragedy of a loved one being lost."

Stevenson believes the initiative may reach drivers who have not paid attention to previous messages. "Our road safety initiatives are being heard, but there are some who are still ignoring those messages. Many are paying with their lives", he went on.

"This is a huge opportunity to try and reach a new audience - 73 per cent of UK 15-24 year olds have access to a gaming console in their home. The technology is non-intrusive, subtle, but the message can be seen in the background, loud and clear.

"We will monitor the results of this trial, but I hope it can be a success. With Christmas approaching, and many young people unwrapping new consoles, this initiative has the opportunity to save lives across Scotland."

Michael McDonnell, director of Road Safety Scotland, was also positive about the move, saying, "We need to look beyond the conventional methods of addressing key road safety issues which affect young people.

"I believe that positioning of the drink-drive message in online games will serve as an ever present reminder to young Scots about the consequences. The online message could not be any simpler 'Don't risk it.'"

SPOnG's actually quite impressed with the whole idea...