Samenvatting

This study researches the current Dutch Bob-campaign and its impact on the attitudes and behaviour of the target audience. The Bob-campaign is concerned with the road safety issue of drinking and driving in the Netherlands and is part of the initiative “Daar Kun Je Mee Thuiskomen”, which is an initiative from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment and its campaign partners. The focus of this research is on the public opinion of the campaign and the initiative. The study comprises both quantitative research in form of a survey and qualitative research in the form of focus group, interviews and desk research. The survey and the focus groups are carried-out among the individuals that belong to the target audience of the campaign and the interviews are held with social marketing experts. The desk research focused on the online presence of the initiative and its campaign as part of the reputation research. Social marketing being the overarching segment to which campaigns with a social focus, such as road safety campaigns belong to. The main findings are analysed by theories gained from studies about commercial and social marketing, which are thoroughly discussed in the theoretical framework. The analysed main findings of the desk research and the open survey questions led to the conclusion that online presence of “Daar Kun Je Mee Thuiskomen” and its Bobcampaign was very poor, which led to the advice to increase the presence on social media by creating an official Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+ page. In order to gain followers, likes etc., to create interaction and raise awareness for the Bob-campaign it was recommended to start contest, but keeping in mind the rules and regulations of the different social media. The analysed main findings of the surveys, focus groups and interviews led to the conclusion that the Bob concept itself referring to the sober designated driver had a positive impact on attitudes and behaviour and needed to be preserved. The same was said for the Bob campaign being a great cross media concept. However, the humoristic campaign approach appeared to be more or less at the end of its life cycle and needed to be (partially) replaced by a more realistic and shocking approach, but not including too severe consequences. In order to become a successful cross media campaign the slogans, the yellow letter and other elements that belonged to the Bob concept needed to be visible in the television commercial, the radio commercial and the posters/billboards. However, the shocking approach could not be integrated in the radio commercial, because it could cause dangerous situations when hearing the commercial in the car. Also the approach could not be preserved in the billboard/poster, because it would make the message too extensive and unclear. The advice for the Bob campaign consistent of two parts: The first part focusing on getting as much preferred elements found in the research in the in one television commercial, radio commercial and poster/billboard. The second part focusing on variation by keeping the Bob concept and the theme, but using two different television commercial in order to keep the interest of the target audience.