#Thinkbikes
Presentation
Edmund King, AA president
Visiting professor Newcastle University
AA Charitable Trust for Road Safety and the Environment
Registered Charity 1125119
Page Title
#Thinkbikes
- Insight into engaging with media to develop effective road safety
campaigns.
- Example of the AA Trust’s Think Bikes Campaign.
- Show how a simple idea about motorcycle safety turned into award
winning campaign about cycle/motorcycle safety
Presentation
- Using both traditional and social media, video, celebrities and
politicians.
- Taking some risks along the way.
AA Charitable Trust for Road Safety and the Environment
Registered Charity 1125119
Page Title
#Thinkbikes
WHY?
Failure to look properly is the most commonly cited (42%) contributory factor in UK
road accidents .
In 2013 the number of fatalities fell to 1,713 but 331 motorcycle deaths (up 1%) and
109 pedal cyclist deaths (down 8%). 25% deaths on two wheels.
Motorcyclists make up just 1% of traffic but 19% of all fatalities. They are 55 times
more likely than car drivers to be killed or seriously hurt in an accident.
Presentation
Nine out of ten drivers (93%) admit it is sometimes hard to see cyclists while
driving.
85% say it is hard to see motorcyclists.
More than half (55%) are often ‘surprised when a cyclist appears from nowhere’.
(AA Populus poll 17,629 drivers )
AA Charitable Trust for Road Safety and the Environment
Registered Charity 1125119
Page Title
#Thinkbikes Inspiration
AA Trust agreed on a campaign.
Original sticker concept came from Tony Rich,
AA Patrol of the Year, after his friend, Jack Bellis,
was killed in a motorcycle crash.
Campaigning planning is vital. Need approval and support.
Do your groundwork. Two Tribes presentation. AA Driving School.
AA Populus research
DFT approval (MOT)
Secretary of State
Police (changing places)
Cycle groups (CTC, British Cycling, Carlton Reid)
Motorcycle groups (MCIA, MAG)
Boris
Venue for launch – Marble Arch
Presentation
AA Charitable Trust for Road Safety and the Environment
Registered Charity 1125119
Page Title
A campaign to remind all drivers to be more aware of those on two wheels
 Needed nationwide distribution of stickers.
 Halfords CEO, AA renewal packs, fleets
 6 million free stickers distributed to drivers as a
reminder to do a ‘double-take’ in their mirrors for
cycles and motorcycles in their blind spots.
 Campaign backed by Olympic cyclist and British
Cycling policy adviser Chris Boardman and 20-time
Isle of Man TT winner John McGuiness.
 PR and social media awareness campaign,
including YouTube video.
Think Once, Think Twice, Think Bikes
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Stickers
 Self-explanatory sheet of stickers distributed
nationwide through partnership with
Halfords and in renewal packs to AA
Members.
 Sent to all staff (including driving
instructors, patrols and direct sales force).
 Supplied on request to police forces,
councils, road safety partnerships, fleets
and other third party organisations.
Think Once, Think Twice, Think Bikes
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PR Campaign
 Launch story highlights drivers’ lack of awareness
of those on two wheels based on AA/Populus data.
 High-profile launch event held at Marble Arch
London, in association with the Met Police
‘Exchanging Places’ taskforce.
 Supportive quotes given by Transport Minister,
ACPO, London Mayor, Motorcycle Industry
Association and British Cycling.
 AA president Edmund King, Olympic cyclist Chris
Boardman and 20-time Isle of Man TT winner John
McGuinness gave media interviews.
Think Once, Think Twice, Think Bikes
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PR campaign
Think Once, Think Twice, Think Bikes
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Social Media: Now You See Me
 Wanted to create video to go viral. Plan story board.
 Challenge of shooting in London on cold March day with
police outriders.
 Video featuring a naked cyclist in London created and
uploaded on YouTube on the morning of the campaign
launch.
 Convinced up-and-coming Irish singer, Gavin James, to
allow use of soundtrack free of charge.
 Main message of the video: What do cyclists have to do
to get drivers to notice them?
 Heavily promoted and used #ThinkBikes on Facebook
and Twitter
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlGmiHKCDI4
Think Once, Think Twice, Think Bikes
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Support and Resources
 High profile support from Chris Boardman and John
McGuinness representing British Cycling and the
Motorcycle Industry Association.
 Campaign supported by the Transport Secretary, Road
Safety Minister, Department for Transport, Police, Mayor
of London Boris Johnson and a host of cycling and
freight groups.
 The launch budget was £50,000 (£30,000 for the YouTube
video and £20,000 for the design, printing and
distribution of the initial print run of 1 million stickers).
 In-house AA team.
Page 10
Think Once, Think Twice, Think Bikes
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Results
 More than 50 pieces of media coverage of the launch
across national and regional print, online and broadcast
media.
 More than 250,000 views of ‘Now You See Me’ on
YouTube from UK, USA, Canada, Australia to Cambodia
and UAE.
 Tweets and retweets from @TheAA_UK and
@AAPresident had the potential to reach an additional
773,113 users on launch.

6 million stickers distributed: AA members, 5 police
forces, Herts Fire & Rescue, Driving Instructors
Association, Balfour Beatty, Npower, Tenn Outdoors,
DHL, Sustrans, Arriva, local authorities.
 Video shown at Transport meeting of the United Nations
Think Once, Think Twice, Think Bikes
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Page 11
Learning points and future
 Didn’t anticipate how popular the stickers would be and
meant we had to do a second print run soon after the
launch.
 The power of sharing the video on social media helped
spread the word globally. Being daring or cheeky helped
the video.
 Do your homework. Checking legality with DFT and
support from partners.
 Preview in The Times linked to Cities Fit for Cycling and
follow up in Cycle Guy column in Sunday Times.
 Think Once, Think Twice, Think Bikes is not a one-off
activity. We will continue to develop and promote the
campaign.
Think Once, Think Twice, Think Bikes
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FIA Region I prepares 'Think Bikes' campaign for members
FIA Region I is preparing a communications package for members based on the AA
UK’s campaign ‘Think Bikes’, winner of the 2013 Innovation Award.
The package will contain:
an animation that stresses the importance of checking for bikes and scooters
a press release/article to describe the campaign
a ‘how to’ guide for creating an event and campaign around bike safety
stickers
infographics
related materials from the AA campaign
Think Once, Think Twice, Think Bikes
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Outcomes & Awards
 Think Bikes campaign won the FIA International
Innovation Award
 Won ACFO Fleet Safety Initiative Award for 2014
 The campaign was short-listed finalist for ‘Best Cycling
Campaign’ in Cycling Media Awards supported by
BikeBiz’s publisher Intent Media.
 Positioned AA well with cycling and motorcycle groups.
 Raised awareness of an important safety issue with
drivers.
 Campaign to be replicated across Europe.
Think Once, Think Twice, Think Bikes
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Bare truth: AA puts naked man on a bike to raise
awareness of cyclist road safety
Is this the most genius road safety campaign ever?
Cycling groups welcome AA’s Think Bike campaign
Thank you
Think Once, Think Twice, Think Bikes
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