Nissan is reminding motorists to steer clear of trick or treaters with a campaign built around stickers designed to keep kids safe.

Citing JAMA Pediatrics data showing a spike in pedestrian-linked fatalities at Halloween, the brand is promoting adhesive safety stickers called “Glow Guards” that reflect light from vehicle headlights, delivering a visible pedestrian indication to drivers.

“Safety is a big part of our overall brand identity, our greatest brand differentiator is Nissan Intelligent Mobility,”says Alannah David-Clark, senior manager, marketing communications, Nissan Canada, who says that the latest campaign, “Nissan Glow Guards” is rooted in that safety message, but that the brand wanted to bring it to the average Canadian (the safety stickers are adorned with chevrons, part of the creative used to describe its technology through other marketing campaigns).

The stickers are available at Nissan dealerships and are the subject of an online campaign. David-Clark, who appears in the video, tells strategy that her role was to convey the importance the brand places on safety, and that the message would best resonate if it came from the company itself instead of actors.

In 2018, the company’s global corporate focus on intelligent mobility technologies – many of which were focused on driver safety – were brought to life in a new creative platform that focused more on everyday situations than the giant CGI monsters it had previously used to embody hazards posed by the weather. 

David-Clark says this is the first time Nissan Canada has been involved in such a forward-facing Halloween communication, and that its target is parents and caregivers going out with kids on Oct. 31. This particular campaign is a one-off and part of a “greater awareness play,” she says. but the brand is open to injecting itself into the conversation around pedestrian safety going forward.

Juniper Park\TBWA handled the creative.