RIDE Program Goes Digital
Gail Chiasson, North American Editor
Public service announcements giving the ‘please don’t drink and drive’ message are running thoughout the holiday period on digital display networks in a variety of public spaces across the Greater Toronto Area in Canada.
The two-week campaign is the result of RIDE’s partnership with the Canadian Digital Out-of-Home Association. The R.I.D.E. Program (Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere) originated in 1977 in Etobicoke, Ont., as a community policing effort to address public concern about drinking and driving. Since that time the program has expanded across Ontario. Spot checks are operated throughout the year with special emphasis during the festive and summer holidays.
The RIDE-CODA partnership is testimony to the increasingly important role public Out-of-Home Digital Networks are playing in the fight to help keep communities safe.
From Dec. 23 to Jan. 2, the RIDE message will blanket the city for the first time on public digital displays in Toronto Transit Commission venues, health centers, sports arenas, bars, restaurants and on city streets in an effort to better reach mass audiences on the move.
Michael Girgis, president and CEO of ONESTOP Media Group and Chairman of CODA, says, “Long gone are the days when a PSA on television was considered the most effective mass marketing awareness tool. Whether it’s a criminal on the loose, a child missing, or a community safety message like RIDE’s, CODA networks have a unique ability to get a message out quickly to mass audiences, everywhere.
“Our operators are in the public space, and we have an inherent social responsibility to the communities in which we do business. We are very proud to be able to support RIDE, the Toronto Police Services, and Crime Stoppers with this timely and effective medium.”
CODA coordinated the two week Digital Out-of-Home RIDE campaign donation valued at more than Cdn$75,000 in media and creative production service time. Participating CODA Networks are: Onestop TTC Network, PHSN, Venue Vision, Zoom, and OBN; with creative by Fourth Wall Media, Toronto.
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