Transport Accident Commission
Encyclopedia
Its purpose is to fund treatment and support services for people injured in transport accidents. The TAC's support covers medical and non-medical expenses incurred as a result of an accident, for example income support for people whose injuries prevent them from performing normal job duties, or return to work programs, and equipment or aids, such as wheelchairs or crutches that are recommended by a healthcare professional. Funding used by the TAC to perform these functions comes from compulsory payments made by Victorian motorists when they register their vehicles each year with VicRoads.http://www.tac.vic.gov.au/jsp/content/NavigationController.do?areaID=25
The TAC also has a duty to help reduce accidents on Victorian roads. It is responsible for the majority of road safety advertising in the state.
The TAC Headquarters moved to Geelong in January 2009.
Public Education Campaigns
The TAC is known for its powerful road safety public education campaigns which emphasize the personal costs of dangerous driving practices (such as speeding and drunk drivingDriving under the influence
Driving under the influence is the act of driving a motor vehicle with blood levels of alcohol in excess of a legal limit...
) using emotive, educational and enforcement based themes.
In 1989 the increasing cost of accidents caused VicRoads
VicRoads
VicRoads or the Roads Corporation of Victoria is a statutory corporation which is the state road and traffic authority in the state of Victoria, Australia. It is responsible for maintenance and construction of the state arterial road network, as well as driver licensing and vehicle registration. ...
and the TAC to adopt a new approach including:
- a significant boost to enforcement resources targeting speeding campaigns to sign-post change and help set the public agenda
- a sustained and community-based road safety bodies, and
- an emphasis on evaluating their effectiveness
For its part, the TAC funds television and billboards coupled with high-impact advertising.
The TAC's most well known slogan is If you drink, then drive, you're a bloody idiot, which was introduced around 1990. This slogan has become a catchphrase in various parts of Australia as well as Victoria. In recent times, this has been replaced with Only a little bit over? You bloody idiot to reflect the danger of low-level drink-driving.
Arguably the TAC's second most well known slogan is Don't fool yourself, speed kills which was introduced circa 1994. Again, this has been modified in recent years to reflect low-level speeding, to Wipe off 5.
Other recognised TAC slogans from the 1990s include "Belt up, or suffer the pain", "Wake up to yourself, fatigue kills", "It's in your hands, concentrate or kill", and "Country people die on country roads".
Its recent safety campaign drew attention to life-saving in-car technologies, such as Electronic Stability Control and curtain airbags. The aim of this campaign was to encourage car buyers to ask for these important safety features when purchasing their next car (the TAC has set up a website to promote this, www.howsafeisyourcar.com.au). The Victorian Government has mandated this as a future design requirement.
TV Advertising Campaigns
There have been over 40 TV adverts produced by the TAC covering a range of areas concerning road safety, many of which can currently be viewed on YouTubeYouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
. Below is an incomplete list:
Girlfriend - early 1989 - 1:01 - "If you drink and drive, you're a bloody idiot."
The first TAC ad. Depicts a couple arriving in hospital after the man crashed while drink-driving. The man has his arm in a sling while the girl is taken to the emergency room to be operated on. Her parents are called and when arriving are informed that she may lose her leg. The man tries to see her, but is angrily chased away by the mother. While the man is crying a nurse explains that the people who cause the accidents have to live with it and "that's the real tragedy."
Beach Road - early 1990s - 1:00 - "Don't fool yourself, speed kills."
Depicts a road accident scene in which the driver of a car was exceeding the speed limit by 20km/h and has hit a young boy. The boy dies at the scene and his mother mourns his death while an ambulance officer explains, amongst other things, that "the faster you drive, the harder you hit."
Fireball - 1991 - 1:30 - "Country people die on country roads."
Depicts a pair of couples in a car driving along a regional road; the driver is distracted and loses control of the car which rolls off the side of the road and comes to a stop in a ditch. Most of the occupants appear to survive the initial crash until leaking fuel is ignited and the car is engulfed in flames.
Overtaking- 1994-
Depicts a young male driver on a country road with his young sister in the passenger seat. He is stuck behind a semi trailer and pulls out to overtake it on the crest of a hill. They meet another semi trailer head on.
Mum in a hurry- (year unknown, possibly 1994)- 1:01 "Don't fool yourself, speed kills."
Depicts a mother driving her children to pick up her son at kindergarten. She drives 100kph in a residential zone and hits a young boy who wanders onto the road, killing him. The boy's mother rushes to the scene, crying, while the mother attempts to say sorry.
Tracy - 1993 - 1:00 - "Don't fool yourself, speed kills."
Depicts a distraught young girl, the driver of a car involved in a road accident, who mourns the death of a passenger in the vehicle she was driving.
Gravel - 1993 - 1:30 - "If you drive then lose control, you're stuck in your nightmares forever"
Depicts a young driver speeding on a gravel road who is impatient to arrive at his destination and is encouraged to speed by one of the occupants. He loses control of the car on the gravel surface and the speed carries them far from the road and wraps the car around a tree.
Country Kids - "Darren!" - 1995 - 2:00 - "It's in your hands, concentrate or kill."
Depicts a car full of teenagers on a country road, the driver of which is speeding and is distracted by conversation within the car, which subsequently drives through a stop sign and collides with another car. Later in hospital it is revealed that one of them, Darren, had died in the crash. The advert ends when the victim's parents in the waiting room embrace after hearing Darren's mother scream. An alternative version has a friend who was following them being interviewed and Darren's sister screaming for him.
Bones - 1994 - 1:00 - "Belt up, or suffer the pain."
Depicts a young woman not wearing a seat belt, distracting the driver of a car which subsequently runs into a parked car; the woman is thrown through the front window and is later shown recovering through physiotherapy.
Joey - (year unknown, possibly 1994) - 1:00 - "If you drink and drive, you're a bloody idiot."
Depicts a young man (Brett) and his brother (Joey) leaving a party. Joey pleads with him to let him drive, as he feels Brett has had too much to drink. Brett ignores his warning and orders him to get in the car. Later, Brett starts swerving the car to prove he can control it. Joey begs for him to pull over, but he swerves again and loses control, crashing the car. Later, Brett in alone in a hospital and screams out Brett's name, lamenting on how he killed his brother.
Teen car crash nightmare - (year unknown, possibly 1995) - 1:30 - "It's in your hands, concentrate of kill."
Depicts a couple of girls going to a party. While driving they are constantly looking behind to see if two male friends are coming to the party with them. They hit a car side on. The males come out from their car to find the two girls uninjured. But when the other males rushes to the other car, he finds the woman dead and her baby crying. He tells his friends that she's died and the girls start crying, knowing they have killed the child's mother.
Glasses - (year unknown, possibly 1995) - 1:01 - "If you drink and drive, you're a bloody idiot."
Depicts a man driving a car. Several empty glasses of beer are placed in front of him indicating how much he has been drinking. he crashes into a parked car and dies. Later the police inform his wife, who starts to cry. Her daughter come in and asks what's wrong.
Netball Girl - 1995 - 1:30 - "If you don't trust the driver, don't get in."
Depicts a young girl who is picked up by some friends after a netball game; she is reluctant to get in the car but eventually decides to do so and is soon involved in a crash. Later, she recovers in hospital after suffering severe brain damage and explains to the viewer the aspects of her life that have changed since the accident.
Drowning - 1997 - 1:30 - "Take a break, fatigue kills."
Depicts a man driving his family in a car long distance, through a regional area, without enough sleep. He eventually falls asleep and the car wanders off the road and into a lake. He escapes the sinking car and screams for help, but there is no one around to help him save his family.
Nightshift - 1997 - 1:30 - "Wake up to yourself, fatigue kills." and "Country people die on country roads."
Depicts the driver of a Kombi who decides to drive a long distance trip overnight without enough sleep and subsequently runs into a truck, killing himself and another occupant.
Young Cops - 1998 - 1:30 - "Don't fool yourself, speed kills."
Depicts police officers catching drivers exceeding the speed limit on a stretch of road, who hear many different excuses for why the drivers caught were speeding. Later, the police officers get a call to a fatality in a road accident in which speed was the major factor.
Christmas Accident - 1996 - 1:00 - "Should you be driving home tonight?" and "If you drink, then drive, you're a bloody idiot."
Aired for a few years during the Christmas holidays, a montage of scenes from various TAC ads is shown while a young girl sings the John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
song "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
"Happy Xmas " is a song written by John Lennon and Yoko Ono and released in 1971 as a single by John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band with the Harlem Community Choir....
".
Monday, Wednesday - 1996 - 1:00 - "Should you be driving home tonight?" and "If you drink, then drive, you're a bloody idiot."
A man decorates a Christmas tree with his family on Monday. On Wednesday he drinks alcohol with friends before driving his car, subsequently crashes into a telephone pole and suffers severe brain injury.
Thursday, Sunday - 1996 - 1:00 - "Should you be driving home tonight?" and "If you drink, then drive, you're a bloody idiot."
A continuation of the "Monday, Wednesday" advert. On Thursday the man's family await news of his condition as he is kept alive on life support. By Sunday it is revealed that his brain has stopped functioning and they must turn off the life support machines.
Christmas Eve, Christmas Day - 1996 - 1:00 - "Should you be driving home tonight?" and "If you drink, then drive, you're a bloody idiot."
A conclusion of the "Thursday, Sunday" advert. On Christmas Eve, the man's death has resulted in stresses within the family as they attend his funeral. On Christmas Day his wife opens presents with her children as they ask where their father is.
Bush Telegraph - 1997 - 1:30 - "If you drink, then drive, you're a bloody idiot."
Depicts a man drinking alcohol with friends before driving home with his son while joking about their friend's belief that they'll never be caught drink driving. The car ignores a stop sign, is hit in the side and destroyed by a large truck.
10 KPH Less - 1997 - 1:00 - "10 kph less will save lives."
Very graphic content. Depicts a man being hit by a car at around 70km/h. The footage is then shown in slow motion whilst a physician explains the effects on the human body in such a situation before adding that "Had you been braking from 60ks and not 70, there's a good chance you could have stopped in time."
The Pub - 1998 - 1:30 - "If you drink, then drive, you're a bloody idiot."
Very graphic content. Depicts a young man driving a short trip home after drinking alcohol with his friends at a pub; his reaction time is reduced and is distracted by something in his car and hits two elderly pedestrians walking their dog. Later it is revealed he has been sentenced to multiple years in prison for causing a fatality whilst drink driving.
Leave the crunching to the Tigers - 1997 - 0:30 - "If you drink, then drive, you're a bloody idiot."
This ad consists of footage of players from AFL club Richmond colliding into opposition players during games. The ad ends with a voiceover saying "These are the only crunches the Tigers like to see" before displaying the "Drink, drive, bloody idiot" message, which in this ad, is shown in yellow upon a black background, rather than the usual TAC colour scheme of white upon a black background, as yellow and black are Richmond's team colours.
Leave the speeding to the Bombers - 1998 - 0:30 - "Don't fool yourself, speed kills."
Similar to the "Leave the crunching to the Tigers" ad, this ad features footage of players from AFL club Essendon running down the field at a fast speed. The ad ends with a voiceover saying "This is the only speeding the Bombers like to see."
The Game - late 1997 - 0:30 - "If you drink, then drive, you're a bloody idiot."
Two supporters of AFL club Richmond are watching their team play at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
while drinking beer. After the game, they are seen walking in the carpark. As one of them attempts to unlock the door with his key, they hear a strange noise, which is actually a cartoon tiger on the car's bumper sticker
Bumper sticker
A bumper sticker is an adhesive label or sticker with a message, intended to be attached to the bumper of an automobile and to be read by the occupants of other vehicles - although they are often stuck onto other objects...
roaring. The men interpret the sound as a sign they have had too much to drink, and decide to walk home instead.
Blame - early 1998 - 1:00 - "Don't fool yourself, speed kills."
Depicts a man driving slightly over the speed limit who loses control of his car and collides with a telephone pole, killing his wife. The narrator explains, "For every 5ks over the limit, your risk of crashing doubles."
Pinball - 1999 - 1:00 - "Belt up, or suffer the pain."
Depicts a car in a low speed collision with another car, a male occupant is not wearing his seat belt and is thrown around inside the car. A physician explains the effects on his body as the footage is replayed in slow motion.
The Hidden Toll - late 1999 - 2:00 - "It's 46 too many."
This advertisement is a montage of various TAC campaigns from the previous 20 years, set to the song "These Days" by Powderfinger
Powderfinger
Powderfinger was an Australian rock band that formed in Brisbane in 1989. From 1992 until their breakup the band lineup consisted of vocalist Bernard Fanning, guitarists Darren Middleton and Ian Haug, bassist John Collins, and drummer Jon Coghill....
. Rather than mentioning death, this ad pointed out the fact that at the time, 46 people were injured on road crashes in Victoria every day.
Never - early 2000 - 1:30 - "If you drink, then drive, you're a bloody idiot."
Depicts a young man who has consumed low levels of alcohol, colliding with a parked tray truck, the impact killing his girlfriend. Later, the woman's father mourns the death of his young daughter.
Shark - early 2000 - 1:00 - "The way we drive is killing Victorians."
Depicts a boy being attacked by a shark at a beach; the boy screams for help while many people look on apathetically and continue to go about their business, failing to help the boy. The narrator explains: "Every year hundreds of people are killed on Victoria's roads, and this is how we react. It's time we changed."
Little bit dead - (year unknown, possibly 2000) - 0:3 - "Only a little bit over? You bloody idiot."
Depicts a drink driver at the crash explaining what he has caused (eg, only a LITTLE bit of grief, death). As he is arrested he says, "But I was only a LITTLE bit over."
Mobile - mid 2000 - 0:30 - "On the phone? Get off the road."
Depicts a young woman driving on her birthday whilst text messaging when a young boy rides a scooter further down the road and is subsequently hit by the car.
No Accident & The Wife - 2000 - 1:45 - "Wipe off 5."
Very graphic content. A series of two ads usually aired within the same commercial break. The first depicts a man driving a car 5 km over the speed limit who collides with a young girl riding a bike who suffers severe brain damage. The second shows the events later a she argues with his wife over the incident as he explains that if he'd been under the speed limit he may only have broken her leg.
Haunted - late 2000 - 2:00 - "You don't have to be drunk to be a drink driver." and "Only a little bit over? You bloody idiot."
Follows a middle-aged man throughout his daily life who is haunted by images of a young boy staring accusingly at him. It then shows the man earlier in his life, when he killed the young boy with his car whilst driving with just a small blood alcohol content
Blood alcohol content
Blood alcohol content , also called blood alcohol concentration, blood ethanol concentration, or blood alcohol level is most commonly used as a metric of alcohol intoxication for legal or medical purposes....
reading.
Snap - late 2000 - 0:30 - "Think twice before running a red."
Depicts drivers caught on red light cameras while driving through red lights. The narration explains that "if you're lucky, you'll only be snapped twice; one snap if you're speeding, another if you run the red." The scene of a fatal road accident in which the driver has suffered a broken neck is then revealed, in which the narrator explains "If you're not so lucky, you'll get a third snap".
15 Years Old - early 2001 - 0:30 - "Are you roadworthy?" and "HELP."
An advert explaining that 15 year olds should book to apply for their learner's permit so they can get as much practice as possible before applying for their Probationary license. Rather than showing graphic crash scenes, the ad features bright colours and techno music, presumably to appeal to the target demographic.
Scooter - 2001 - 0:30 - "What's between you and the operating theatre?"
Depicts a young woman in an operating room who has crashed while riding her motorised scooter. It is revealed that she was not wearing any protective clothing and as a result has lost a large amount of her skin.
Motorcycle - early 2002 - 0:30 - "What's between you and the operating theatre?"
Depicts a young man in an operating room who has crashed while riding his motorbike. It is revealed that he was only wearing denim, not protective leather or Kevlar, and as a result has lost a large amount of his skin.
Vice Versa - early 2002 - 1:00 - "Put yourself in their shoes."
Depicts the drivers of a car and a motorcycle changing places and explores the thought processes of a motorcycle driver in heavy traffic. The motorcyclist is not seen by the driver of a car who changes lanes, forcing him off his motorbike.
Lost - late 2001 - 0:30 - "Don't push fatigue. Pull over."
Depicts a car being driven along a road from the perspective of a fatigued driver who subsequently wanders off the road without realising and collides with a tree. The narrator explains "Your eyes don't have to shut for your mind to be asleep."
What hurts most - early 1989 - 1:01 - "If you drink and drive, you're a bloody idiot."
Depicts an almost blind person explaining how he lost his vision after taking off his seat belt for a few seconds and then crashed.
The Good Driver - late 2001 - 1:00 - "There's no excuse for speeding."
Depicts a man and a separate version of himself who gives commentary on his driving habits in various situations, making excuses for speeding, until eventually he causes a serious road accident.
When? (Regional Version) - mid 2002 - 0:30 - "Only a little bit over? You bloody idiot."
Depicts several occasions in which a man driving on regional roads narrowly avoids booze busses until eventually he is pulled over by one and is found to be slightly over the limit. The narrator explains that there are an increased number of booze busses operating.
When? (Metro Version) - Summer 2002 - 0:30 - "Only a little bit over? You bloody idiot."
Depicts several occasions in which a man driving on city roads narrowly avoids booze busses until eventually he is pulled over by one and is found to be slightly over the limit. The narrator explains that there are an increased number of booze busses operating.
Driving While Distracted #1 - early 2002 - 0:30 - "Distracted drivers are dangerous."
Depicts various events in which drivers who are using mobile phones, changing CDs and talking to other occupants are involved in accidents or near accidents.
Driving While Distracted #2 - Spring 2002 - 0:30 - "Distracted drivers are dangerous."
Depicts various events in which drivers who are using mobile phones, changing CDs and talking to other occupants are involved in accidents or near accidents.
Big Hit - late 2002 - 0:30 - "A 15 minute power nap could save your life."
This advertisement is set at a training session of the Victorian Bushrangers
Victorian Bushrangers
The Victorian cricket team, nicknamed the Bushrangers, is an Australian cricket team based in Melbourne, that represents the state of Victoria. It is administered by Cricket Victoria and draws its players from Melbourne's Premier Cricket competition...
cricket team, at Melbourne's Junction Oval
Junction Oval
The Junction Oval is an historic sports ground in the suburb of St Kilda in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Its location near the St Kilda Junction gave rise to its nickname...
. Bushrangers captain Cameron White
Cameron White
Cameron Leon White is an Australian cricketer and current Australian Twenty20 captain. A powerful middle order batsman and right-arm leg-spin bowler, White made his first-class cricket debut as a teenager in the 2000–01 season for the Victorian Bushrangers as a bowling all-rounder...
talks about how cricket is a game of concentration, and during training, the players take a break every 2 hours to refresh their minds. White says it's the same when a driver is out on the roads.
Double Bus - early 2003 - 0:30 - "If you drive on drugs, you're out of your mind
Depicts a man driving home late at night who is pulled over by a booze bus. He passes the alcohol test and it is then explained to him by the police officer that he will now be tested for drugs, to which he appears surprised. The narrator explains that booze busses now also test for the presence of other drugs.
Curtain Airbags - 2003 - 0:45 - "howsafeisyourcar.com.au"
A woman who has suffered brain injury talks about side curtain airbags and explains that before her crash she knew nothing about them, whilst now she is an expert.
This news-making advertisement features relatives of 10 real-life victims of crashes where speed was the main factor. In the ad, the people are seeing, holding and staring at photos of the deceased. The song used in this ad is a cover of The Cure
The Cure
The Cure are an English rock band formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976. The band has experienced several line-up changes, with frontman, vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter Robert Smith being the only constant member...
's "Pictures of You," performed by Angie Hart
Angie Hart
Angie Hart is an Australian pop singer best known for her role as lead vocalist in the band Frente!.Hart was a founding member of Frente! in 1989. She is renowned for her delicate songcraft, lyrics, and her breathy vocals....
.
Want Some? - November 2003 - April 2004 - "If you drive on drugs, you're out of your mind."
Depicts a young man accepting an offer to take drugs at a nightclub. The events of that night and the early morning are revealed in pieces out of chronological order, including the same young man driving a car and hitting a pedestrian. Later, he spends the night in a jail cell whilst coming down from the effects of the drug.
We'll catch you before someone gets hurt - 2004 - 0:30
This ad, which aired over the Christmas/New Year holiday period, features Victoria Police
Victoria Police
Victoria Police is the primary law enforcement agency of Victoria, Australia. , the Victoria Police has over 12,190 sworn members, along with over 400 recruits, reservists and Protective Service Officers, and over 2,900 civilian staff across 393 police stations.-Early history:The Victoria Police...
's traffic commissioner Ken Lay warning drivers that over the period, the police would have more booze buses and patrol cars on the roads than ever before.
Slo-Mo - (year unknown) - 1:01 - "Wipe off 5."
Shows 2 cars at a test scene. One is going 65kmph and the other 60kmph. A truck appears in front of them and they both break. The driver going 60kmph hits the car at 5kmph, causing a minor dent. The driver going 65kmph hits at 32kmph, seriously damaging the car and injuring himself.
Reconstruction - 2009 - "Wipe off 5."
Depicts Peter Bellion investigator of the Victoria Police MCIU (Major Collision Investigation Unit) assessing an accident where a woman was killed. He shows a reconstruction where the driver went 5 kilometers slower and the woman only had a bruised leg.
Swap - 2009 - "If you drive on drugs, you're out of your mind."
Depicts a couple at a party. The man smokes a joint of Marijuana with a friend. His partner tells him it's time to go home. While driving, he is obviously impaired (waiting at an intersection where there are no cars in sight, alternating in driving too fast and slow). Finally he agrees to let his partner drive. Not as soon as he steps out of the driver's side, he hit and killed by a car behind him.
Levels - 2009 - "Only a little bit over? You bloody idiot."
Depicts two people ordering drinks before leaving a bar believing they are still the standard levels to keep you under 0.05. The bartender begins emptying out beer from each glass according to the circumstances of each man (being tired, having earlier drinks, different glass sizes, etc). They are left with considerably emptier glasses.
The ride - (year unknown) - 0:45 - "It's up to you to reduce the risks."
Shows various motorcycle riders taking dangerous chances until one loses control and is hit by an oncoming car.
Most of these have been written by Nigel Dawson from Grey Group
Grey EMEA
Grey EMEA is the largest division of Grey Group, a global advertising and marketing agency and member of the WPP network...
in London, England and have won many awards around the world.
Parallel Lines - 2005 - 2007 - 1:15 - "No positives. Just very horrible nightmares forever."
This ad involves a scene from Driver: Parallel Lines
Driver: Parallel Lines
Driver: Parallel Lines is the fourth video game in the Driver series. The game was released on March 2006 on the PlayStation 2 and Xbox by Atari, Wii and Microsoft Windows on June 2007 by Ubisoft.-Overview:...
.
Three men and a girl argues about drugs and nightmares whilst a driver realises the other drivers got their licence
from a cereal box. The car badly loses control and crashes to a car full adults and children. Later that night,
the driver has nightmares of a car accident and wakes up from a nightmare
and passengers tell that his car is flooded and on fire.
Grand Theft Auto (Vice City version) "He's he's" - 2007 - present - 1:00 - "If you drive on drugs, you're out of your mind."
Depicts five young adults in a car leaving a club to go for a ride in his car.
As 4 young people enjoys the ride of the car, they have a big hubbub about the club.
The car slips on a cliff and bursts into flames.
In the car, 4 of the people escaped and 1 called: "Hello? Hello?!"
Video Game Advertising Campaigns
On 10 March 2009, the TAC began in-game advertisingIn-game advertising
In-game advertising refers to advertising in computer and video games. IGA differs from advergaming, which refers to a game specifically made to advertise a product.The IGA industry is large and growing...
in Saint's Row 2, and have their slogans featured on banners in Trackmania Nations. Also in Grand Theft Auto 4 if you get Niko drunk and then drive either he or his drinking partner will say "Niko, if you drink then drive, you're a bloody idiot".
Australian Football League Partnerships
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
and its teams to help road safety messages reach audiences at a grass-roots level.
Most famously, the TAC was the major sponsor of Richmond
Richmond Football Club
The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,...
for 16 years through the "Drink, drive, bloody idiot" campaign, which saw the "Drink drive" message displayed on the team's jerseys which was terminated when a Richmond player was caught drink-driving. The TAC also sponsored Essendon
Essendon Football Club
The Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
from 1994 until 2000 with the "Don't fool yourself, speed kills" campaign, and Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
from 2002 until 2006 with the "Wipe off 5" message.
Non-AFL sporting partnerships
The TAC has been the major sponsor of the quasi-national under-18s Australian Rules Football league, known as the TAC CupTAC Cup
The TAC Cup is an under 18 Australian rules football representative competition held in Victoria, Australia. It is based on geographic regions throughout country Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne with each team representing 12 Victorian regions....
, since its inception in 1992. Outside Australian Rules, the TAC has partnerships with A-League
A-League
The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...
side Melbourne Victory
Melbourne Victory
Melbourne Victory Football Club is an Australian professional football club based in Melbourne, Victoria, that plays in the A-League....
and the Australian Formula One Grand Prix.