Legend ('Ghost Chips')

ngataonga.org.nz

Also: Ghost Chips

“Stop a mate driving drunk. Legend!”

NZ Transport Agency drink-driving ad aimed at young Māori men: at a party, a friend talks his drunk mate out of driving after imagining the crash, including the dead friend's ghost offering chips. It swapped NZTA's usual shock tactics for humour and bystander action, and its lines entered New Zealand slang.

Years: 2011
Country: New Zealand
Topic: Alcohol Impaired driving
Asks people to: Talk to someone
Strategy: Humor Social norms
Channel: Outdoor Point of sale Radio Social (organic)TV
Audience: Men Young adults
Young Māori men; the ad addresses the friend who can stop a drunk mate from driving.

Evidence

Self-reportedUnknown

An NZTA study reported in October 2012 found over 90% of New Zealanders recognised the ad and about 75% thought it would stop them driving drunk (per Wikipedia). Over a million YouTube views in two weeks. NZTA's Rachel Prince said the campaign's direct effect on drink driving could not be determined. No independent evaluation found.

Sponsor (who paid)

NZ Transport Agency (Waka Kotahi) Foreign government, funder

Credits (who made it)

Clemenger BBDO Wellington Creative, 2011 source
The Sweet Shop Production, 2011 source
Steve Ayson Individual, 2011 source

Related campaigns

Designated Driver Campaign (Harvard Alcohol Project) 1988–now
TAC road safety advertising (Victoria) 1989–now

Sources

Ghost Chips (Wikipedia) reference
Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision: NZ Transport Authority. Ghost Chips (F283365) archive · 2011

Research notes

Credits fetched from Ngā Taonga and Wikipedia 2026-10-22; neither names the agency office. Wellington from search snippets (ECD Philip Andrew; Clemenger BBDO Wellington 2012 review). Wikipedia says Legend was first announced in 2006; this record covers the 2011 'Ghost Chips' execution. Te Ara (403) states 38% of young drivers in fatal or serious crashes in 2008-10 were Māori (snippet only). Wikipedia lists radio, billboards and bar advertising (bar ads tagged point-of-sale). Bystander framing has no exact strategy value; used social-norms (closest) and targetBehavior talk-to.

Record cases/nzta-legend-ghost-chips.json, updated 2026-10-22· Link to this campaign