Pavlova is Australia’s favourite Christmas dessert, and millions of ‘pavs’ are driven to lunches all around the country at Christmas time.

So we conducted research with 1,059 drivers to see if they drove safer with their kids in their car, or a pav.

Then we used accelerometers, sensors and cameras to track the actual driving behaviour of 20 families, over an 8-day period. And the results were staggering.

The study dominated news over a busy Christmas period of impeachments, Brexit, bushfires and UK election results, with over 113 pieces of individual coverage, with 100% brand mention.

Trust is the number one issue facing the insurance sector in Australia. Given this, the brief from NRMA Insurance was to develop a Christmas campaign that positioned the brand as the most trusted, empathetic and talked about in Australia. We were asked to take the Christmas ad, featuring a woman carefully driving a pavlova to a Christmas lunch and generate earned media, whilst anchoring NRMA Insurance at the heart of the road safety message during the cluttered Christmas period.

The idea was in three parts. First, we conducted a YouGov study with 1,000 Australian drivers, asking them questions about their driving habits and behaviours. Next, we actually physically monitored the driving behaviors of Australian drivers, using in-car cameras, accelerometers and pre & post driving interviews. Thirdly, we packaged the findings of these studies which revealed that Australian drivers actually drove more carefully with a cake in the car, than they did with their own children.

To gain traction during the Christmas period, our insight was to qualify and actually substantiate the assertion that people will drive more carefully when transporting a pavlova for the family Christmas lunch, than when driving with their loved ones.

The NRMA Insurance Pavlova Driving Study was created. With YouGov Galaxy we conducted a two-part social experiment involving a survey and a driving experiment: - 1,059 Australian drivers were surveyed on their attitudes to driving and how their driving changed when caring for a child vs. a pavlova

- Twenty participants took part in the driving experiment that took place over eight days, examining how they drove alone, with a child and with a pavlova (tracking their actual driving behaviours with sensors and accelerometers put their cars.

The research demonstrated a discrepancy; the quantitative data revealing how people perceive they drive and the experiment showing the reality of their driving behaviours.

The key message we wanted to communicate during the campaign was: To protect what’s really precious this Christmas. We packaged up our key research findings and secured an exclusive across the News Corp and Channel 10 News. The media package included research results, video case study, the NRMA Insurance Christmas TVC and interviews with NRMA Insurance spokesperson, Sally Kiernan and consumer psychologist, Adrian Camilleri.

We then widely distributed the results of the study, securing talkback radio interviews with Sally and Adrian across the country.

The study dominated news sites over a busy Christmas news period of impeachments, Brexit, bushfires and UK election results. However, despite this, we had a massive media uptake, including:

A News Corp network exclusive and Channel 10 News 3-minute story ran;

In just two days, 15.1 million impressions were generated against a target audience reach of 4 million;

111 pieces secured to date against a KPI of 24 pieces, all with full NRMA Insurance branding.

Specific results include:

Print coverage secured via the News Corp exclusive prompted further media debate and discussion, including 20 talkback radio stories, 45 pieces across major metro mastheads (print and online) and a panel discussion on Channel 9 TODAY;

Three TV pieces ran on Channel 10 News, which featured the TVC, research case study video and a panel debate on driving behaviour;

Over 25 radio station mentions as well as inclusions on their online platforms; and

Further people knew the campaign was created by NRMA Insurance:

100% of the coverage mentioned NRMA, 90% mentioned NRMA Insurance

100% positive-neutral sentiment / key messages

77% featured commentary from one of our campaign spokespeople.

During Australia’s busiest time in the media and on our roads, we used Australia’s most iconic dessert, the pavlova, as an unexpected vehicle to raise awareness around the importance of driving safely and protecting what’s precious this Christmas.