New PSA from the Ad Council & NHTSA Highlights the Human Cost of Buzzed Driving via LANDIA

The Ad Council and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) today announced the launch of a powerful new public service advertisement (PSA) aimed at preventing buzzed driving across the United States. The latest creative encourages responsible driving behavior at a time when 30% of traffic fatalities nationwide involve an alcohol-impaired driver. 

The new TV PSA, “Lost in a Flash,” highlights to viewers how avoiding buzzed driving contributes to collective well-being within communities and families. The creative is designed specifically to remind Hispanic male drivers ages 21-34 that decisions they make behind the wheel can impact both themselves and their loved ones. This work launches at an especially dangerous time of year to be on the road, as July and August are the deadliest months for alcohol-impaired driving crashes. Alcohol-impaired driving crashes claimed one life every 42 minutes, according to the latest available data. 

Created pro bono by culture-first creative agency MEL, the new creative builds on the campaign’s longstanding mission to educate audiences that alcohol-impaired driving can have real, lasting consequences that extend far beyond the driver. The PSA is designed to resonate with the campaign’s Spanglish-speaking target audience. The spot delivers an emotional and urgent message: buzzed driving can erase everything you live for in an instant. The new creative concludes with the campaign’s longtime message: “Manejar Buzzed es Manejar Drunk,” or “Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving.” 

“For over four decades, the Ad Council has worked to shift cultural norms around alcohol-impaired driving, and our new work continues that commitment,” said Michelle Hillman, chief campaign development officer at the Ad Council. “Since 1983, the Ad Council and our partners have reminded people what’s at stake every time they choose to get behind the wheel after drinking. This new creative taps into emotion and duty, connecting directly with our audiences to remind them that buzzed driving is drunk driving.” 

“A crash caused by buzzed driving doesn’t just impact one person, it ripples through families and communities,” said NHTSA Chief Counsel Peter Simshauser. “This new PSA is a critical reminder that buzzed driving is drunk driving. Plan ahead and make safe choices.” 

“This work demonstrates MEL’s commitment, as a culture-first agency, to elevating communities across the country through advertising and communications,” said Luis Miguel Messianu, founder and chief creative officer of MEL. “There is no better way to do that than by meeting people where they are – culturally and linguistically – and by ensuring the safety of families at a historically dangerous time of year to be on the road.” 
 
The new campaign assets, which include TV, digital, print and out-of-home formats will run nationwide in time and space donated by the media. Since 2000, the campaign has garnered over 25 billion impressions across all mediums to prevent buzzed driving.

Title of the Piece:‬‭ Lost in a Flash / Buzzed Driving Prevention‬

‭ Campaign:‬‭ Buzzed Driving es Drunk Driving‬

‭ Advertiser:‬‭ AD COUNCIL‬

‭ Client:‬‭ AD COUNCIL‬

‭ Air Date:‬‭ June 24, 2025‬

‭ Agency: MEL‬

‭ CCO & Founder Luis Miguel Messianu‬

‭ CGO, Managing Director Michelle Cobas‬

‭ CSO Omar Quiñones‬

‭ Executive Creative Director Danny Alvarez‬

‭ Head of Client Services Jennifer Rangel‬

‭ Senior Producer Jenny Valladares‬

‭ Business Affairs Sara Sax‬

‭ Client: AdCouncil‬

‭ Chief Campaign Development Officer Michelle Hillman‬

‭ SVP, Group Campaign Director Dzu Bui‬

‭ Campaign Director Milan Genovese O’Malley‬

‭ Assistant Campaign Manager Noel Sanchez‬

‭ Director, Strategy & Evaluation Anuar Saab‬

‭ Production Company: LANDIA‬

‭ Director: Ariel Danziger‬

‭ MP & Executive Producer Juan Taylor‬

‭ EP Nelly Castillo‬

‭ EP Joan Pla‬

‭ Line Producer: Leda Nasio‬

‭ Production Supervisor: Claudia Rivas‬

‭ DOP: Lucas Gath‬

‭ Production Designer: Eric Beauchamp‬

‭ Art Director: Gaston Schwarzwald /‬

‭ Make-Up Artist: Carmen Lopez‬

‭ Wardrobe Stylist: Naty Pineda‬

‭ Photographer: Milos Nasio‬

‭ Landia Post Credits:‬

‭ Producer: Leo Mercado @mercadoblanco_‬

‭ Editor: Camila Crespo / MVP @mvpeditorial @crespo.camila‬

‭ Color: Nadia Khairat Gomez @nadia.khairat‬

‭ VFX/ Online: Les Amateurs @lesamateurs.tv‬

‭ VFX Sup: Gabi Albertoni @gabi.albertoni‬

‭ Sound Design / Mix: BDS @b_d_s_______‬

‭ Music, Audio Record and Mix: ANIMAL‬

‭ Producer: Alejandra Maldonado‬

‭ Rerecording Studio / Engineer: Sebastian‬

‭ Benaderet Music: True Innovations‬

‭ Stock Music Getty Music Turn Me Up - Instrumental‬

‭ Casting Director: Castingland Miami‬