The Minnesota Department of Public Safety's Office of Traffic Safety is getting in the Super Bowl ad game.
The Drive: State drafts comedy team to deliver Super Bowl safety message
The agency drafted a team of comedians from Stevie Ray's Comedy Cabaret who break down the "Sober Game Plan" in 15- and 30- second ad spots that began airing in greater Minnesota during the weekend's NFL playoff games.
January 8, 2018 at 2:25PM
The agency drafted a team of comedians from Stevie Ray's Comedy Cabaret who break down the "Sober Game Plan" in 15- and 30- second ad spots that began airing in greater Minnesota during last weekend's NFL playoff games. They will be seen in the metro area starting the day after the conference championship games on Jan. 21, a day fans hope to be celebrating a Vikings win. Versions also will be streamed online and on radio.
"It's a message with a mission, not just for Doritos," said Stephanie Stine, who appears in the ads. She hopes those who see it will "take one for the team" and be a designated driver.
Drunken driving arrests spike on Super Bowl Sunday, and game day ranks right up there with Halloween, St. Patrick's Day and New Year's Eve as one of the most dangerous days to be on the road. Last year authorities made 147 DWI arrests statewide on Super Bowl Sunday. The year before there were 125, the Department of Public Safety said.
Officials fear those numbers might be higher this year, and with good reason: Super Bowl LII will be played at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Feb. 4, but it's not just a one-day or weekend event. Festivities — exhibitions, concerts and parties — begin more than a week before the game, and upward of 1 million people will stream into the region to take part.
"It's concerning what happens when people consume alcohol," said Mike Hanson, who heads the Office of Traffic Safety (OTS).
Rather than just blitz billboards with the usual "Don't Drink and Drive" messages, the OTS took a $160,000 grant from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the communications team used it to place a football-themed spot. OTS has produced commercials before, mainly using interviews with crash victims. But the "Sober Game Plan" spot is the first one in which the department's communications team did the writing, filming and editing.
In another first, OTS bought time on TV stations over multiple weekends, rather than just Super Bowl weekend.
"We wanted to make sure that as many people as possible heard that message," said DPS Communications Director Bruce Gordon.
With a goal of delivering a serious message with touches of levity, OTS reached out to Stevie Ray's. Seven comedians volunteered to be a part of the all-day shoot last month.
Set in the bar of Louisville Lanes in Shakopee, former Fox 9 and KARE-11 TV reporter Dave Berggren plays the role of coach. His friends are drinking and shooting pool with the game on in the background when he huddles them together to go over the X's and O's. Berggren holds a whiteboard that shows the "Sober Game Plan." The coach diagrams the route for the designated driver. The spots end with the "team" coming together chanting "Home Safe."
"It's a cute, fun creative way to get that message across," Berggren said. "Comedy and humor can sometimes stick with people. If we can get someone to smile and laugh, then we've done our job."
Got traffic or transportation questions, or story ideas? E-mail drive@startribune.com, tweet @stribdrive or call Tim Harlow at 612-673-7768.
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