2024 Winners

International and Region 2

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet

3 Ways to Renew Advertisements

Beginning in 2021, all driving credential issuance began transferring to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) from Circuit Court Clerk offices in all 120 Kentucky counties to new KYTC-operated Driver Licensing Regional Offices in 32 locations. The transition was completed in June 2022. Many Kentuckians did not embrace the change because it meant potentially traveling to another county to perform a task they previously did in their county of residence. KYTC wanted to educate the public and demonstrate that the change in management came with new, more convenient options for renewing IDs and licenses. The Cabinet promoted remote renewal options for health reasons during the COVID-19 pandemic and made those options permanent post-pandemic. The target audience was Kentuckians with a Kentucky driver's license or ID card and those who need to get a Kentucky driver's license or ID card. Since June 27, 2022, 1.2 million credentials have been issued by KYTC. Since the gradual transfer of services to regional offices began, 460,000+ license or ID holders opted to renew online, and more than 54,000 Kentuckians renewed by mail. Kentucky promoted this convenience and options to renew remotely by creating signage for promotional events and at regional offices, and creating portable signs to take to events, creating large decals that were placed on regional office storefront windows. Since each regional office location has a unique indoor layout, entrance and landlord restrictions, custom signage was developed for each office.

Region 1

New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission

Advertising for a Modernized NJMVC

In partnership with an advertising and marketing firm, the NJMVC developed a campaign touting their modernized business model using both digital video and other ads for the internet and social media and legacy advertising on billboards and buses. The $1.2 million campaign featured smart-looking ads using the NJMVC’s distinctive green and blue colors with messaging about 24/7 availability and the ease of scheduling appointments for registering a new vehicle or taking a road test. The objective was to spread the word about their modernize services and that they best serve customers. Tactics used included online digital advertising on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram as well as Google Search drive and the popular New Jersey news and entertainment website NJ.com. The outcomes were a tremendous success. In all, digital advertising logged 11 million impressions, 1.2 million clicks, and nearly 18,000 interactions with ads and comments. 32 billboards in North, Central, and South Jersey were placed along major highways. The ads were also carried on 70 NJ Transit buses and mass transit commuter buses around the state - further spreading the word that today's modernized NJMVC is here to help and here to stay.

Region 3

Wisconsin Department of Transportation Division of State Patrol

WisDOT's "Control Your Drive" Reckless Driving Prevention Campaign

Wisconsin, like many other states, identified a trend in deadly traffic crashes and risky driving behaviors that increased during the pandemic. WisDOT recognizes the challenges of risky driving cannot be solved by enforcement alone, and must involve a combination of strategies, including community partnerships, education and engineering. In a proactive effort to prevent crash injuries and deaths, the WisDOT Bureau of Transportation Safety launched a new awareness campaign to reach the target audience of reckless drivers, specifically in the Milwaukee area where the community faced additional challenges. The Control Your Drive campaign encourages everyone to rethink their duty to focus on safety behind the wheel. The campaign formed a new partnership with the Milwaukee Bucks and leveraged the community support of fan favorite player Bobby Portis. The campaign focused on advertisements, media outreach, and social media. Bobby Portis appeared in a video and audio PSA to connect with local audiences and encourage safe driving. The video connects the concept of ‘control your drive’ behind the wheel with ‘control your drive’ on the basketball court. The PSA and related info aired online, on TV and radio, and in the Bucks arena. The coverage coincided with a news conference campaign launch that included media coverage and social media posts. The target audience was men (18-34) in Milwaukee area counties. The online video had 1.59 million impressions and 952 TV spots on broadcast and cable channels during sporting events, primetime and other programs. The Bucks and Portis shares boosted messaging to their Twitter audience. The PSA aired in arena and during pre-game announcements at 39 games with 739,423 fans. There were also bonus airs during Marquette basketball, (18 additional games – 263,396 fans), plus 204 in-game radio spots aired statewide during regular season Bucks games. The Bucks sent two messages through the organization’s email database to more than 30,000 fans and included messaging in website banner ads.

Region 4

California Department of Motor Vehicles

California DMV Wallet and Mobile Driver's License Advertising

The California DMV developed a California DMV Wallet to house users’ mobile driver’s licenses on their smart phone (both iOS and Android) that can be used for identity purposes at airport Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints. In cooperation with TSA and United Airlines, the California DMV launched a pilot program targeting TSA Precheck travelers flying between San Francisco and Los Angeles. To encourage participation, the California DMV public affairs team developed and produced digital signage and posters to be displayed at security checkpoints at both airports. All production was conducted in house using existing California DMV resources. The digital signage was displayed on monitors at TSA checkpoints and posters were placed at the entrance to TSA Precheck lines. The airport advertising captured media interest and was used in more than 37 tracked news stories that expanded advertising at no cost to the California DMV, reaching nearly 1.1 million California households with an earned media value of nearly $63,000. During a one-week period after news stories were published and aired on television, participation in the mobile driver’s license pilot program increased from 2,500 to 125,000 (a significant 4,900% jump) and the numbers continue to grow. As of October 2023 (within 75 days of general availability), more than 250,000 Californians have downloaded the California DMV Wallet and mobile driver’s license.