There’s a balance to Shift’s tone and voice: we talk about serious matters with the appropriate respect, but keep the focus on hope and ownership. Our outlook is positive, and we believe in our audience. When someone interacts with our brand voice, our hope is they leave feeling informed and motivated to be a mindful driver.
Think of Shift as the cool teacher you respect—fun, but not afraid to have real talk. These personality pillars help us create copy and visuals that connect with our audience:
We love Idaho and we love talking about Idaho. We reference places and landmarks with ease and elevate local voices whenever we can. Culturally, we are outdoorsy, independent, and community-driven. Our goal is for our voice to feel like home.
We know what we’re talking about and we communicate it clearly. We are friendly, but we’re also a trusted resource. This means we speak with confidence when it comes to crash data and best practices on the road. We don’t hedge around uncomfortable facts—our tone is clear and direct, while always maintaining a hopeful outlook.
We talk like you’d talk to your friends. A good rule of thumb is to read our words out loud. Does it sound natural? Is it the way you’d say it to your coworker or spouse? It should. Our voice is conversational, down-to-earth, and approachable.
We keep things positive. This is one of our core differentiators; we don’t lean into guilt trips or shock factor approaches. We focus on the good. We are straightforward about crash data, but maintain an outlook that it can change. Our tone is uplifting and invites our audience to be part of something big—a movement to help everyone make it home at the end of the day.
Our audience is Idaho. Our goal is to motivate every Idahoan to be a more mindful driver. However, our strategy is to focus on those who are more active on the road and those who are more likely to be in a serious crash. Namely: Young Men, Teen Drivers, and Adults.
Young men have a higher likelihood of being in a crash, and specifically in a fatal crash. Causes vary, but young men tend to speed more, which is one of the number one causes of fatal crashes in Idaho.
Teen drivers are new to the road, and need encouragement as they learn to be mindful drivers. In 2024, teen drivers were responsible for 13% of all fatal and injury crashes—despite being only 6% of all licensed drivers on the road. Teen girls are more likely to be in a crash; however, teen boys are more likely to be in a more serious crash involving a fatality or an injury.
Our campaigns also cast a wide net, reaching men and women between the ages of 25-65. This includes college students, young adults, parents, and older adults.
Within this category, one of our target audiences is parents—both of young children and young drivers. We encourage parents to demonstrate good driving behavior and start the conversation on how to be a mindful driver with their teens. For parents of young children, we provide information on how to safely transport your kids through car seat check ups, look-before-you-lock campaigns, and other helpful resources.
Our messaging IS: people-focused, uplifting, inviting, local, grassroots, real, confident, optimistic
Our messaging IS NOT: authoritative, bossy, aggressive, government, enforcement, stuffy
Make it all about people.
A young woman was hit by a car.
Use impersonal or generic labels
that distance the person.
A pedestrian was hit by a car.
Emphasize accountability and decision-making.
EXAMPLE
A driver made a dangerous decision that led to a crash.
Remove ownership.
EXAMPLE
An accident happened on I-84.
Emphasize best practices.
EXAMPLE
Wear bright colors when walking.
Frame guidance negatively
EXAMPLE
Don’t wear dark clothes when walking.
Use honest language that reflects the reality of the situation.
EXAMPLE
A man was killed in a crash.
Sugarcoat or soften the reality of what happened.
A life was lost in a accident.
Contact us for questions, resources, or support
