An Introduction
Our recent partnership with eFlow aimed at addressing a common issue faced by many drivers: avoiding unnecessary penalties from the M50 toll.
This brand story recounts our innovative approach to eFlow’s goals: raising awareness of their prepay options, encouraging account registrations to help customers save time and money, and driving compliance, all through a tailored and localised radio campaign.
The Project
The objective was twofold: inform drivers about the importance of paying the M50 toll by 8pm the day after their journey to avoid penalties and promote sign-ups for video tolling.
This crucial reminder needed to reach a broad audience efficiently and effectively. To achieve this, we leveraged the power of radio, targeting listeners during peak hours when they would most likely be in their cars.
As a result, we created a series of countdown stings that ran across two popular IRS+ Dublin stations: Radio Nova and Sunshine 106.8. The campaign was scheduled from 4pm to 8pm, five days a week, ensuring maximum exposure during the busy summer months when traffic volumes were high.
The Innovative Approach
Together with Foe, we developed the ‘Cancel The Countdown’ idea—a unique and engaging strategy designed to capture the attention of listeners and serve as the standout feature of the campaign.
This approach aligned with eFlow’s goals: 1) awareness of the importance of paying the toll on time and 2) of encouraging as many people as possible to create an eFlow account, which is ideal for infrequent toll users, offering automatic payments that save time and discounted toll rates that save money.
We developed 20-second stings that aired once an hour from 4pm to 8pm, providing timely reminders of how long drivers had left to pay their tolls. This hourly countdown was not only a practical reminder but also created a sense of urgency and awareness about the toll payment deadline. It also highlighted the possibility of not having to worry about the countdown, by simply signing up to video tolling.
Running these spots on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays strategically targeted the influx of weekend traffic, ensuring the message reached the largest possible audience during peak travel times. By focusing on these specific days, we were able to maximise the impact of the campaign.
To enhance relatability and engagement, all content was recorded using a local tone of voice by our local station radio presenters. This personalised approach resonated with listeners, making the reminders more impactful and memorable. Here’s an example of how the stings sounded:
Did you pass through the m50 toll yesterday? The clock is ticking! You have just under 2 hours left to pay your toll and avoid unnecessary fines. Register for M50 video tolling with eFlow today so you can pay your tolls automatically and Cancel The Countdown. Brought to you in association with Radio Nova.
This project exemplified our commitment to innovative and effective solutions. By leveraging the strengths of radio and understanding the audience’s needs and behaviours, we successfully created a campaign that not only informed but also motivated drivers to take timely action. This helped them avoid penalties, save time and money, and meet eFlow’s public information objectives.
“We’re thrilled with the outcome of our partnership with IRS+. Together with Foe, they’ve infused our campaign with creativity and local expertise, ensuring our message deeply resonated with our audience, making the campaign a resounding success. Their compelling ‘Cancel The Countdown’ idea not only informed drivers but also inspired timely action.” – Darren McGivney, eFlow Public Information Team
