VCCP and Kwik Fit make motorists happier, safer drivers with tailored jokes on roadside ads

Kwik Fit’s mission is for motorists to “drive away happy every time”. However, with soaring insurance premiums and rising prices at the petrol pump, there’s not much for drivers to smile about.

In 2023, more than two thirds of drivers admitted to experiencing road rage, this heightened emotion increasing the chance of road traffic accidents, [SJ1] which is no laughing matter.

‘Road Happy’ uses Ocean Outdoor’s vehicle react technology to anonymously scan cars as they are stuck in queues at traffic lights, serving drivers with a joke according to the make, class, colour or fuel type of their vehicle. The aim is to bring some levity to their journey by making the roads a happier, and safer, place.

Created by VCCP and Kwik Fit, the campaign was a silver winner in Ocean’s annual Digital Creative Competition which fosters original ideas in Digital Out of Home (DOOH).

The creative revolves around 10 different jokes which are served depending on the data trigger and the location concerned.

For example, ‘Hey you in the Italian car. Why should you always use a sat nav? Because otherwise you’ll just Rome around’; ‘Hey, driver in the white car. Why does it cost so much to put air in a tyre? Inflation!’; and ‘Hey cab driver. What’s worse than raining cats and dogs? Hailing taxis!’

The ads conclude with the uplifting message, ‘Happy drivers are safer drivers’.

The campaign breaks on 28th April across six roadside locations which are enabled with Ocean vehicle react technology in London (Holland Park Roundabout and Gypsy Corner); Birmingham (Bullring South); Manchester (Princess Road); Newcastle (The Screen on the Tyne); and Southampton (The Screen on West Quay). It appears until each location hits 6,000 play outs.

Harry Neale, strategist, VCCP, said: “Kwik Fit exists to keep Britain’s drivers safe on the roads and ensure that they drive away happy, every time. That isn’t just when they leave a Kwik Fit centre, but whenever they are on the road. This campaign helps to do just that, with the opportunity to have a positive impact on drivers beyond just the physical service provided. Road rage is no joke, but by using Ocean’s vehicle react technology to grab people’s attention with an extra layer of relevancy, we can turn it into one!”

Tony Hector, creative director, VCCP, said: “When a purpose brief like this lands, the instinct is often to go heavy — to make it worthy and serious. But with a thought like ‘Drive away happy every time’, you realise you can still land a meaningful message by being engaging, even funny. That’s the creative leap: using humour to say something serious is what makes this work stand out.”

Ocean Outdoor UK head of marketing Jennifer Bell said: “This campaign is a positive reinforcement of the brand. A refreshingly simple creative idea which is right where Kwik Fit positions itself. As a motorist, you do not know that you are being teched – and it would be hard not to crack a smile at the ‘dad jokes’.”

Kwik Fit is the UK’s leading automotive repair and servicing company offering a wide range of services including tyre fitting, brakes, exhausts and MOT tests.