Diageo combats drunk driving with virtual reality

Diageo has developed a “ground-breaking” virtual reality experience in North America as part of its work to tackle drunk driving.

Diageo has upped its efforts to combat drunk driving with a new virtual reality experience

Spearheaded by Diageo’s Digital and Technology Partnerships teams, the “industry first” immersive virtual reality (VR) technology simulates being a passenger in a drunk drive crash.

Digital agency VaynerMedi will help the Diageo with the creative vision, production, development and distribution of this VR experience, which is still in the trial phase.

“Despite the fact that drunk driving fatalities are at an all-time low, this issue remains of critical importance to Diageo and the industry as a whole,” said James Thompson, chief marketing and innovation officer, Diageo North America.

“We believe that virtual reality technology provides a powerful new opportunity to emphasise the importance of celebrating responsibly. Enabling people to experience what it’s like to be the passenger in a car being driven by a drunk driver may resonate more with participants than disturbing statistics and crash photos.

“While we are still in the developmental phase of this project, we are eager to experiment with the technology to see how it can help advance our responsible drinking mission.”

Diageo said it is making a “long-term commitment” to VR technology that will demonstrate the effects of alcohol abuse, reiterating that it continues to invest in “new technologies and platforms to respond to the changing consumer landscape”.

Earlier this month, Diageo signed a two-year partnership with United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) to prevent and raise awareness of drink driving.