Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP)
What’s the Damage?: Highlighting the Cost of Drunk Driving to Save Lives

Digital, Web & Print Branding

The challenge

Drunk driving was a major issue in Virginia, especially among 21 to 35-year-olds, who often don’t fully understand the financial and personal consequences of their actions. Our challenge? To get through to these individuals and change their behavior in a way that could ultimately save lives — including theirs.

The strategy

We teamed up with the Washington Regional Alcohol Program and the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles to create “What’s the Damage?” — a bold campaign that highlighted the true costs of drunk driving. Playing off the familiar phrase “What’s the damage?” (a.k.a. your bar tab), we turned it into a powerful reminder of the much bigger “damage” a DUI can cause — financially, socially, and emotionally.

The campaign broke away from traditional law enforcement-focused messaging. Instead, it spoke directly to our target audience with a conversational “empathy over enforcement” tone, resonating as if it came from a peer who understands their lifestyle.

The campaign’s multi-platform approach included:

• Digital ads strategically placed on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
• TV and radio spots that highlighted the devastating financial and personal costs of a DUI.
• Billboards near high-risk areas like popular nightlife districts.
• Targeted messaging in bars, speaking directly to the audience in their environment.

We made sure the message hit home and spoke to various target audiences including:

• Young Professionals in Rural Areas: Emphasis on social and professional consequences of a DUI.
• Recent College Graduates in Northern Virginia: Socially active, likely to drive after a night out, need a wake-up call about the real costs of DUIs.
• Active Military Members in Virginia Beach: High-risk group for drinking and driving, messaging framed around protecting their future and career.
• Multigenerational Household Breadwinners: Family-oriented, message focused on how a DUI affects their ability to provide.