Clemenger Melbourne gives world changing Kombi accident ad a makeover for 2015

Two decades after the TAC in Victoria and Grey Advertising changed the way governments around the world approached road safety promotion, Clemenger Melbourne has given the iconic Kombi commercial a makeover, revealing a completely different outcome thanks to technology advances.

The original commercial left audiences reeling as the the beautiful dawn vista was shattered when the sleepy driver plunged his Kombi van headlong into an oncoming truck.

The shocking effect of the ad set the standard for two decades of road safety advertising around the world and launched Grey on the run to a string of awards at advertising festivals around the world as it dominated the public service announcement category.

The ad was also credited with lowering the Australian road toll.

Clemenger’s homage to the campaign features a modern VW but the same circumstances – a sleepy driver at dawn, his girlfriend beside him asleep and an oncoming truck.

But the difference is a five star rated car, road dividing wires, driver alerting lane lines and in-car alerts that turn the tragic outcome of 1994 into a near miss.

The ad is the latest step in Victoria’s Towards Zero campaign which is moving from shock to public education.

Credits:

TAC

Manager, Road Safety – Sam Cockfield

Manager, Technical & Policy, Road Safety – Jessica Truong

Marketing Manager, Community Relations – Jodi Gubana

Document2

Project Manager, Community Relations – Cherie McMahon

Clemenger BBDO Melbourne

Creative Chairman James McGrath

Executive Creative Director Ant Keogh

Creative Director Stephen de Wolf

Art Director Jackson Harper

Copywriter Shannon Crowe

Managing Partner Lee Simpson

Group Account Director Naomi Gorringe

Account Director Kate Joiner

Account Manager Pat Nally

Executive Producer, TV Sonia Von Bibra

Senior Agency Producer TV Emma Johnson

Senior Agency Producer Digital Ben Crowe

Agency Producer, Print Nicholas Short

Senior Planner Matt Pearce

Director of Design Jake Turnbull

Production

Director Bruce Hunt

Producer Catherine Jarman

Executive Producer Michael Ritchie

DOP/Cinematographer Ross Emery

Production Company Revolver

Editor Seth Lockwood

Flame Artist Heather Galvin

Colour Grade Edel Rafferty

Post-Production Producer Olivia Carolan

Post Production Company Method Studios

Sound Engineer Paul le Couteur

Sound House Flagstaff Studios

Original Kombi ad

Director Mat Humphrey, Great Southern Films

Agency Grey Melbourne

Simon Canning

Simon Canning was Mumbrella's marketing and advertising editor from 2015-2017. In a career spanning journalism and communications over more than 30 years Simon has become one of Australia’s most respected analysts and commentators on the advertising, marketing and media industries. A regular commentator on radio and TV, Simon has also worked in media in the US and UK .

topics ClemengerGreyroad safetyTAC

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Comments: 6

Hmmm 5 Nov 15

It’s a interesting approach but the execution is a bit clunky? Did they really need to show the old ad in split screen?

Could it not have been at that split second moment before he crashes he recalls the old ad, but in his case the outcome is very different?

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signs 5 Nov 15

they couldn’t crack a new idea…
then and now is irrelevant on this category. It is only about now.

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MattB 6 Nov 15

I remember the first ad came out just after I bought an old VW kombie. Probably made me a safer driver. I think the split screen works well. But i guess you have to have been around for the original.

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Tim M 6 Nov 15

I remember the first ad from when I was young, not everyone would (or was even born) so think the split screen works well. Great ad

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Trunking Symbols 7 Nov 15

Thankfully I never had to suffer that ad – not living in Victoria – but I saw it occasionally when referenced by shows like 7:30 Report. I couldn’t help thinking how stupid and unrealistic it was. Since when does anybody delibrately drive at right angles into a truck? It just seemed to be a bit of self-indulgence by a bunch of cadets given their head by a bloated government department. The fact that other states weren’t exactly clamouring to show the ad speaks volumes.

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MattB 8 Nov 15

I grew up in NSW and saw the advert. It definitely got a run in that state. Maybe it was in cinemas.

I don’t think the guy was deliberately driving into a truck at right angles. To me it looks like he came in at an angle and caught the corner of the kombi which would have pulled it into what appears to be a right angle. Seems legit enough.

Also if you have ever driven a kombi you know there is zero protection at the front. It would tear apart like that quite easily.

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