Responses by Zulu Alpha Kilo
Background: We had launched a PSA with MADD Canada a month ago, but wanted to create a longer piece to complement the campaign. We knew that Canada’s drunk-driving death rate is the leading cause of criminal death in Canada. We needed to make sure adult Canadians considered a safer ride home over the holiday season.
Reasoning: We needed to find a fresh way to frame the issue of someone reconsidering how she or he would get home. Who better to deliver the message than someone who provides a safe ride home and has also felt the devastating impact of losing a loved one? And so “Uber Moms” was born.
Challenges: Recruiting our “Uber Mom” was difficult. It couldn’t be an actor; it had to be a real person. We had to find an Uber driver, who was also a mother that experienced this great, personal loss. She would also need to be willing to be a spokesperson for our message and do so while she was working. Reaching out to the Uber network, we were fortunate to find Shelly, who generously donated her time and story.
Favorite details: We’re most proud of being able to maintain authenticity in the storytelling in order to offer an honest voice to this cause. We were able to give Shelly a chance to honor her daughter’s memory by providing a platform. She used her story of personal loss to write new and better stories for other moms and families.
Time constraints: Once we found Shelly, we only had a few days to pull the entire project together. Luckily, Zulubot, our in-house content branch, was able to mobilize quickly. In the end, the time constraints worked to our advantage. From the shoot to the edit, everything happened in a few days. We usually spend days with the team during the editing process. On this one, we did it all in one day.
Specific demands: In a small setting like a car, we needed to be creative with our filming approach to maintain the intimacy of the conversation. Rigging the car with three A4 Tech cameras and small microphones allowed for no intrusions on the situation. We also needed to be extra mindful of both Shelley and her passengers’ safety, as retelling her story of personal trauma could trigger an adverse reaction.
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