NHTSA 2026
PASS THE PLEDGE
TAKE THE PLEDGE. PASS IT ON.
A national impaired-driving campaign that turned the decision to drive sober into a commitment people could make, share and pass forward.
THE PROBLEM
TURN A WARNING INTO A COMMITMENT.
One person is killed every 44 minutes in a drunk-driving crash, resulting in nearly 12,000 lives lost each year.
For NHTSA’s 2026 Labor Day impaired-driving campaign, the challenge was to take a familiar safety message and give people a more active role in it.
Rather than simply telling audiences not to drive impaired, we wanted to give them something they could do, share and encourage others to do too.
ONE PERSON IS KILLED EVERY
44 MINUTES
NEARLY 12,000 LIVES ARE LOST EACH YEAR.
THE IDEA
FIVE VOICES. ONE COMMITMENT.
Pass the Pledge brought together Matt Leinart, Jerry Ferrara, Mark Ingram II, Jake Butt and Rob Stone around one shared commitment: drive sober.
Across two talent-led executions, each personality makes the commitment in their own way before passing the message to the next, creating a simple visual device that connects different talent, sports and stories around one shared responsibility.
HOW WE MADE IT
FROM CONCEPT TO REALITY.
The campaign brought together five personalities across two creative executions, each built around the same commitment to drive sober.
Production used movement, sports and physical handoffs to connect each story while keeping the campaign centered on one simple idea: make the pledge, then pass it forward.
WATCH BEHIND THE SCENES
THE CAMPAIGN
:15 PSA - VERSION A
Campaign Cutdown
:15 PSA - VERSION B
Campaign Cutdown
:60 PSA
Full Campaign Spot
LONG-FORM CONTENT
Extended Conversation
:30 PSA
Campaign Cutdown
FROM CONTENT TO ACTION
THE PLEDGE CONTINUED ONLINE.
Every piece of campaign content directed audiences to a digital experience where they could make the same commitment themselves, turning the campaign message into a measurable action.
BEYOND THE SCREEN
A NATIONAL MOVEMENT.
The campaign brought together five personalities across two creative executions, each built around the same commitment to drive sober.
Production used movement, sports and physical handoffs to connect each story while keeping the campaign centered on one simple idea: make the pledge, then pass it forward.
THE RESULTS
A SIMPLE ASK. MEMORABLE ACTION.
The campaign combined significant national reach with a clear path to participation, moving audiences from awareness of the message to actively taking the pledge.
245.2M
Impressions
147%
Campaign
Exceeded campaign delivery goals.
$1.14M
Added Value
In incremental media value through partner and bonus placements.
429.2K
Clicks to Pledge Site
13,499
PLEDGES TAKEN
As of September 16, 2026, with the Tailgate Tour still underway.