Legislative Leverage
As the nation gears up for Independence Day, drivers in California and Washington are beginning to declare independence from their hand-held cellphones (at least while they are behind the wheel, according to new legislation that goes into effect today). California and Washington join a growing list of states nationwide that are cracking down on drivers who take their hands off the wheel to hold a cell by enacting “hands-free” laws. With these new laws, drivers must weigh their options. They can a) continue using mobile phones at the risk of getting a ticket, b) stop talking on the phone altogether while driving, or c) purchase a Bluetooth headset that allows them to talk and have both hands on the wheel.
For our client, Jabra, which makes Bluetooth headsets, option C has presented a clear opportunity. In preparation for the new legislation, we have been diligently reaching out to media in these markets to inform them of the legal and safety issues at hand, and also to let them know what Bluetooth options are available to drivers. According to a study, discussed in this MSNBC Article, 300 lives will be saved in California alone with the hands-free driving laws, indicating the switch to headsets in the car may make driving safer.
Parrot recently launched an interesting viral campaign to promote awareness of the new driving laws. Cars in California were “assaulted” with fake bird poop as a reminder from Parrot that July 1st marked the first day of the hands-free requirement. According to the LA Times, the company leveraged the new law to promote their products in a cheap and direct way, which is often the goal of a company that may not have millions of ad dollars to throw around.
With a half-dozen states and the District of Columbia having “hands-free” laws in effect, it is no surprise that Bluetooth headsets have grown in popularity - they are a simple solution for consumers looking to obey their state’s laws and they help alleviate some of the safety issues on the road. A win-win, both for drivers and headset marketers.
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