Keep Your Hands off our Ambos

SA Health

OBJECTIVES

Assaults on South Australian ambulance officers were on the rise with a staggering 141% increase year over year. They had been kicked, punched, spat on and verbally abused, all in the line of duty.

We needed to bring to light the issue of violence against ambulance officers and deter potential perpetrators.

 

INSIGHT

Analytical research combined with immersive first-hand experience provided us with unique understandings of our target market.

Broadly, the general public found it hard to believe aggressive incidents actually occurred at all and the most aggressive incidents against ambos occurred with young males in groups, who were often connected (friend or family) to the patient receiving care.

 

SOLUTION

We set aside the conventional approach of threatening perpetrators, instead appealing to their self-interest: “I can’t fight for your mate’s life if I’m fighting for mine.”

Rather than making an ad, we wanted to capture an incident. No scripts, real paramedics and reactions based on pure instinct. This was all captured with a single take in a simple vertical format on an iPhone.

 

RESULTS

With a million views on Facebook and YouTube, a Facebook reach of 2.3 million and 70,000+ shares and comments, the public came to understand what ambos go through in the line of duty.

In the two months following the release of the video, violent incidents fell by an incredible 42%. In the end, we didn’t just make people aware, we made them care.

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