Drink-drive video gets 2.7m hits

The film had an unexpected twist

An anti drink-drive video created by a Staffordshire firm has got about 2.7m hits on the internet.

The film Steamy Windows shows a woman apparently having sex in a car, until the camera shows she is trapped in a vehicle crashed by her drunk boyfriend.

The Eccleshall firm ST16 recently won a gold award at the New York Film Festival for the road safety viral video created for North Lancashire PCT.

The firm said the aim of a viral video was for it to be spread via the net.

Youth blogs

Simon Crofts, one of ST16's directors, said the film, which will be shown in cinemas in Lancashire from May, had done very well at reaching its target audience of 16 to 25-year-olds.

"I think it has been effective because it has an unexpected twist, which a viral needs," he said.

"It's been amazing the way it has snowballed."

He said Steamy Windows, which was filmed at a Birmingham studio, attracted about 2.4m hits on the YouTube website within six months.

It has also been included on youth blogs and websites.

"The most rewarding aspect is the response there has been from young people saying it is very, very effective," he said.

He added the firm was "really pleased" to win a gold award in the community and public affairs category at the New York festival as it was not awarded every year.