The Colorado Department of Revenue’s Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV),
Donor Alliance and Colorado.gov
today announced that their joint “Save Time, Renew Online” social media
campaign utilizing the fictitious character Guy VROOM has been named the
Best Use of Social Media by the annual PACE Awards sponsored by the
American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA). The
communications campaign successfully lessened foot traffic to DMV
offices and increased registered organ, eye and tissue donors. The “Save
Time, Renew Online” campaign aims to educate Coloradans about the
ability to renew their driver’s licenses online. The initiative is led
by the character Guy VROOM, a comical, mullet-wearing “dude” stuck in
the 1980s. The joke being that Guy VROOM looks and talks that way
because he renews his license online and skips the lines at the DMV, and
therefore is able to keep using his old photo, circa 1985. Complementing
direct mail and advertising outreach surrounding the initiative, the
Colorado DMV, Donor Alliance and Colorado.gov
executed a social media campaign to facilitate direct-to-consumer
interaction and spur viral appeal with the humorous Guy VROOM.
“The social media campaign helped ensure that ‘Save Time, Renew Online’
was a success. We are pleased to announce that as a result, 12 percent
of all Colorado driver’s licenses now renew online, which translates to
160,000 fewer people visiting DMV offices and better customer service,”
said Mike Dixon, Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles. “This campaign was
born out of our need to increase participation in online license
renewals to assist in reducing increased customer volume in our driver’s
license offices as a result of simultaneous expiration of both the 5-
and 10-year licenses in 2011 through 2015. We are so pleased that we hit
the mark with this creative program.”
Social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and foursquare were
used to boost the visibility of the lovable Guy VROOM character. There,
he shared the messages of online license renewal and organ and tissue
donation, and interacted directly with consumers. Contests were held to
drive interest in the pages, and Guy VROOM’s following rapidly increased.
“Social media has proven a fantastic way to connect with Coloradans to
discuss organ, eye and tissue donation. Using Guy VROOM we have educated
residents that while they are online renewing their licenses, they also
have the opportunity to give the gift of life by registering as an
organ, eye and tissue donor,” said Sue Dunn, president and CEO of Donor
Alliance, the nonprofit organ procurement organization serving Colorado.
“We are proud to announce that 73 percent of Colorado drivers who renew
online elect to become donors, a 6 percent higher election rate than in
DMV offices.”
Regional PACE Awards category winners were announced at the Annual
Region IV AAMVA Conference, June 18-21 in Albuquerque. The PACE Awards
recognize public relations, public affairs and consumer education
excellence among the motor vehicle, law enforcement and traffic safety
agencies across North America. The program recognizes creativity, cost
effectiveness and the ability to reach consumers with a well-crafted,
measured and executed message. The American Association of Motor Vehicle
Administrators (AAMVA) is a tax-exempt, nonprofit organization
developing model programs in motor vehicle administration, law
enforcement and highway safety.
About Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles
The Colorado Department of Revenue’s Division of Motor Vehicles is
responsible for issuing driver’s licenses and identification cards;
management of driver’s licensing records; provides operational support
to the County Clerks and Recorders for the titling and registration of
vehicles; regulates third party operated Commercial Driving Schools,
Commercial Driver’s License Testing Units, and Emission Testing Centers;
and oversees and supports numerous motor vehicle related programs to
include supporting organ and tissue donor awareness via document
transaction activities and partnering with Donor Alliance. The Driver's
Licensing program produces over one million driver and identity
documents each year through a network of 56 State and County licensing
offices. The program assures that applicants meet all statutory
requirements to hold a driver's license or identification card and can
demonstrate sufficient skill and knowledge to safely operate a motor
vehicle. Services range from providing service delivery and information
to the public, administering written and road skills tests, verifying
applicant credentials and source documents, and overseeing driver
education and third-party testing.
About Donor Alliance
Donor Alliance is the federally-designated, non-profit organ procurement
organization and an American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB)
accredited tissue bank serving Colorado and most of Wyoming. As a
recognized leader in facilitating the donation and recovery of
transplantable organs and tissues, Donor Alliance’s mission is to save
lives through organ and tissue donation and transplantation. To achieve
this mission, Donor Alliance employs an effective family approach and
recovery programs in more than 100 hospitals. Donor Alliance also
inspires the public to register as organ and tissue donors through
community partnerships, public outreach and education campaigns
throughout its donation service area. For more information visit the
Donor Alliance website, or
the Donate Life
Colorado or Donate
Life Wyoming Facebook pages.
About Colorado.gov
Colorado.gov is the official
website of the State of Colorado (http://www.colorado.gov)
and is overseen by the Statewide Internet Portal Authority. Colorado.gov
helps State and local government entities Web-enable their services and
is operated without tax funds through a public-private partnership
between the state and Colorado Interactive, LLC. Colorado Interactive
builds, operates, maintains, and markets Colorado.gov and is part of
eGovernment firm NIC’s (NASDAQ:EGOV)
family of companies.
