Industry & Business

Advertising content agency RADICAL has created a new mobile app for Toyota which is designed to help save lives on Irish roads. The company, which is of part Core Media, was asked by Toyota to help them bring their brand proposition ‘Built for a Better World’ to life. While researching ways in which Toyota could help improve Irish roads for all users, the dangers of mobile phone usage while driving became extremely obvious.

Research from the Road Safety Authority shows that making a call while driving will make a driver four times more likely to crash, while texting makes crashing a staggering 23 times more likely. In addition, many people also update their social media channels, snap selfies or check emails while driving.

RADICAL decided to approach this challenge by rewarding positive driver behaviour and ultimately encourage behavioural change with mobile phones behind the wheel of all cars. As a result, the innovative and creative idea of the ‘Face it Down’ app was born.

The driver launches the app before setting off on a journey and simply puts the phone face down. Points will be earned for every kilometre driven without picking up the phone and these can then be redeemed in Topaz Re.Store outlets. If the user turns over the phone while driving, all the points accumulated will be lost.

The company was responsible for the design and production of the app and has also developed and engaged a social media campaign to encourage app download and subsequent redemption of rewards. Over 13,500 drivers have downloaded the app in just one week.

The app launch is being supported with a heavyweight communications campaign, with Toyota brand Ambassador Niall Breslin acting as spokesperson for the ‘Face It Down’ campaign. He says: “We all know the dangers of using a mobile phone while driving, so it’s great that drivers will now get rewarded for not using their phone. This simple act can make such a difference to road safety in Ireland that’s why I would encourage all drivers to use Toyota’s Face It Down App.”

Other well-known faces supporting the activity include commentator Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh, RTÉ stars Blathnaid Treacy and Eoghan McDermott alongside media personalities Michelle Regazzoli-Stone and Triona McCarthy. Members of the Irish Road Victims Association have strongly backed use of the ‘Face It Down’ app and will feature in a promotional video.

Commenting on their involvement, Aisling Blake, Managing Director of RADICAL, says: “It’s fantastic to work alongside Toyota Ireland in developing this app and bringing it to the market place. This innovative idea will hopefully change driver behaviour, ensuring our roads are safer for all users – drivers, passengers, cyclists and pedestrians. Educating drivers on the dangers of using their phones while on the road is a key element of this campaign and we hope that this rewards system will encourage drivers to think before they pick up their phones when behind the wheel”.

Steve Tormey, Chief Executive at Toyota Ireland, says: “In late 2016, we launched our new ‘Built for a Better World’ brand platform and this latest initiative, designing and building an app that will encourage drivers not be distracted by their mobile phone while driving, is part of our brand promise to help make life better in Ireland by saving lives.”