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| Deputy chief fire officer, John Redmond, and Beacon Radio copywriter, Simon English, with the award at Shrewsbury fire service HQ |
A chilling radio commercial aimed at raising awareness of the dangers of cooking after drinking too much has won an international advertising award.
The radio ad – produced for Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service by local station Beacon Radio – features the voice of a little girl lying in bed on Christmas Eve waiting for Santa to visit. But Father Christmas turns into a drunken dad who leaves the chip pan on and falls asleep in an armchair. The innocent girl’s voice then transforms mid-sentence into a woman talking about firefighters tackling a serious house blaze.
The commercial was up against adverts from around the world at the 2010 London International Awards, many of them from major multi-national advertising agencies.
Deputy chief fire officer, John Redmond, said: “It’s a haunting advert. Cooking and drinking alcohol is a real problem for the fire and rescue service. It is a fatal combination.”