Advertising that shakes things up - and saves lives

Despite all prevention measures, people - mainly young, hormone-driven men - die again and again in, at and on Swiss waters. The most common causes are tying up boats, jumping into unknown waters and, last but not least, bathing under the influence of alcohol and other drugs.

The health insurer Visana and the Swiss Lifesaving Society (SLRG) now want to counteract this sad state of affairs with an online campaign under the motto "Save your friends". For once, the campaign is not aimed at the victims themselves, but at their friends and colleagues. After all, only very few young people are unreasonable, but everyone else could prevent the worst with a word of warning at the right time.

The campaign by Bern-based agency Komet works on several, mutually complementary levels: While a series of display & social video ads deliberately shocks and thus ensures the necessary attention, three emotional, cinematic eyewitness reports are intended to trigger consternation in the target group.

They all lead the viewer to a picture-heavy designed Landing Pagewhich appeals to common sense and presents all important, because potentially life-saving, information on the subject as snackable content.

This is with the intention that the campaign will meet with the necessary response from the Instagram generation and that this year's swimming summer will not end fatally for anyone.