No, this isn't some sign of the Virgin Mary, but an actual bleeding billboard. Apparently at this time of the year in New Zealand the rains come, and when they do, highway deaths increase dramatically. So, in an effort to get drivers to slow down and "drive to the conditions," an advertising company came up with a bleeding billboard. The billboard is a picture of a boy and when it is raining outside the billboard bleeds.
Apparently they work. The first billboard went up in a community which had numerous deaths last year and this year has had none. The government says it is because of the billboard. The video is about 90 seconds long.
people do tend to drive faster in the rain and it makes no sense.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to be in New Zealand in September...I'll have to keep my eye out. What city is it in? I suppose I should just google it.
ReplyDeleteThat is awesome. And I LOVE the accent New Zealanders have!
ReplyDeleteThat is a great billboard. Like the "you will die" warnings on Canadian cigarettes.
ReplyDeleteKiwis are the nicest people but they love to speed and they love to drink. I would just worry that people would be distracted by the sign.
ReplyDeleteGreen Wave- make sure you get to the western side of south island that was my fave.
Thanks DN. We take pride in our "friendly" reputation, but you're right, we drink A WHOLE HEAPING BUNCH!!
ReplyDeleteDrink driving has always been a problem. NZ roads are generally small, twisty roads, so that doesn't help.
Green Wave Girl; Have fun in NZ - although it will be the end of winter - not the greatest time to be going, but you'll still enjoy. I'm in Cali, but going back to NZ for a week in August (my first trip back home in 11 years). It looks like the billboards are around Auckland.
@CageyKiwi--I'm in Cali also but I'm going to Australia & NZ for the first time in September--can't wait!
ReplyDelete@DN--I'm going to Christchurch, Mt. Cook, Queensland, Rotorua, & Auckland. :)
@GWG: you're going to all the great tourist destinations in NZ. Christchurch is a small city with an English feel to it; Mt Cook & Queenstown - incredible snow sports, home of the bungee jump, the shotover jet (awesome!!). Rotorua home of the Maori & geothermal areas (get ready for the sulphur smell!) Auckland largest city in NZ and most U.S. feeling of all. If you can, check out Lake Taupo, about an hour south west of Rotorua. It reminds me kind of Tahoe.
ReplyDeleteI'm an American living in Palmerston North on the North Island, and I have to say the Kiwis have the greatest ads for these kinds of things. Their drunk driving ads are really shocking and graphic, and make you think about the consequences of doing it. I love how upfront they are about those things.
ReplyDeleteAfter living here for 2.5 years, I have to say Kiwis are the nicest people. I love living here and doubt I will ever leave.
@cageykiwi: I just googled the shotover jet...OMG...that looks AWESOME! I hope it's not too cold to do it while I'm there! Thanks for the advice! I'm so excited!
ReplyDeleteOMG!! We could use some of these for the idiots who drive in this country!!
ReplyDeleteWe need one with a cell phone sticking out of someone's mouth after their head impacts the windshield due to their lack of attention!! We could use on with a mascara brush sticking out of some dizzy broads eye!!
I think Gannett might have a new way to make money with their billboards! And the more graphic the better .. really get the message across you are driving a hunk of metal that can KILL!!!! People just really tend to forget that fact.
Very clever and obviously effective advertising! Did you hear about this German ad campaign against domestic violence?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/sexist/2009/07/06/can-expensive-advertising-beat-domestic-violence/
Quebec has *very* graphic ads about how speed kills. Sometimes the cops show the actual wrecks in certain areas to show what a car crash looks like. A billboard like this would be awesome! Even though tickets are now being given out for doing over 110km/hr and cell phones get points taken off your license, people still speed, and speed with cell phones, too.
ReplyDeleteKudos to the people who thought of this, and kudos to people for taking this seriously.
I live in NZ and I think these billboards are more of a hazard than a warning. It's one of those things where you sort of do a double take at, you should be looking at whats in front of you not gawking at some disturbing billboard!
ReplyDeleteAnd I have to say yeah there is a drinking culture in NZ, but I was absolutely horrified when I lived in the states for 4 months at the number of people who would get in their cars completely trashed, it was scary. And this was 3 different states I stayed in (VT, CO, CA). But I guess I'm used to living in Auckland where I just don't drive if I know I'm going to drink and catch a taxi.
@ Green Wave Gal,
ReplyDeleteI'm moving from Christchurch after having lived here for the past two years. Do not, I repeat, do not go out alone after dark.
ChCh (actually most of New Zealand) has about double the violent crime rate as an average American city.
It's not all LOTR and FOTC down here.
I cannot wait to return to the States Sunday.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete