Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning

As families and friends gather for poolside barbecues and picnic celebrations this July 4th weekend and throughout the summer, the National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA.org) is bringing attention to common misperceptions about how and when drownings occur to help save lives with a new public service announcement produced by Detroit-based advertising agency, Doner. Drowning is the single leading cause of death for children 1-4 and the second leading cause of injury death for children 5-14.

According to NDPA, 88% of child drownings occur with at least one adult present, and 50% of children drown within 25 yards of a parent or other adult. With millions of families and friends celebrating the summer and the July 4th holiday around pools, oceans and lakes, NDPA is stressing the importance of close, constant, and capable supervision, while reminding parents that drownings can occur without warning and may not look or sound like what one might expect.

NDPA, in collaboration with advertising agency Doner, joined forces on a public service campaign entitled Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning. Set to launch on Saturday, July 1, the purpose of the campaign is to shatter common drowning myths and direct parents and caregivers on where to find more information and resources.

The chilling :30 second PSA created by Doner, an 86-year-old advertising agency known for its exceptional strategic, creative and production capabilities, shows how easily the real signs of child drownings can go unnoticed even when adults are in the vicinity. In the video titled, “Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning”, the audience is led to believe they are experiencing a beautiful summer day, but in actuality they are witnessing a child drowning.