Free Dewey.
Responsible for: Naming, Brand-strategy, Illustration, Copywriting.
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A CAMPAIGN OF HELP AND PREVENTION
DUI is no joke.
Branding for an extremely sensitive subject.
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It’s not easy to find sympathy for someone who drinks and drives. But let’s face it, while it’s an extremely stupid mistake, few are completely innocent of making it. And many who find themselves in that situation are guilty, but they don’t lead a life of crime - they just made one single very serious mistake. This is a campaign that takes a position of light-hearted sympathy and support - in hopes of making the mistake an only one-time offense.
Meet Dewey.
Get it? …DUI. Some people call a DUI a Dewey.
Dewey made a terrible mistake. Fortunately, his mistake was only a DUI and not something more serious like manslaughter. Naturally, he’s bummed. But relieved, because he found someone who can help his matter and help avoid ever making the mistake again.
FreeDUIhelp.org is a resource not just to help you navigate the DUI process, but to also educate offenders and reduce drinking and driving as a whole.
Building trust by keeping it light.
Originally, the campaign started with the story of “Oops” and “making a mistake”. But while we did want to keep it light to make it more relatable, just calling it a “mistake” was too light. We wanted to “be light” while maintaining that “what you did is UN-forgivable and could lead to innocent deaths.” So it was decided to avoid those words altogether. The campaign became “UH-OH, I’m in trouble”.
Dewey’s success.
The campaign has assisted in the regional rise in the installation of interlock devices and opened the conversation about the mandatory use of interlocks for teen-drivers and high-risk drivers in some states. While some do see these litigation changes as painful and harsh, those close to the matter see it as a minor and necessary inconvenience that saves lives. Dewey has had a measurable effect and will rolling out soon nationwide.