About this project

With The Realistic Dummy, directed by Olivier Staub, the SAAQ confronts a belief that still feels harmless to many drivers: not wearing a seatbelt on short, familiar trips at lower speeds. To make that risk impossible to ignore, the campaign created a lifelike crash-test dummy modeled on Christian — a young adult who doesn't always buckle up on short local drives. Built as his true double, the dummy allowed Christian and his parents to witness his own accident. Their reactions are not performed or manufactured. They belong to real people confronting a possible version of their own story.

Director's Statement

When I read the script, I immediately knew this was a great story. The idea was powerful and disturbing: raise awareness by making someone witness their own death in an accident. Bringing it to its full potential was going to depend on one thing: authenticity. The point was not to find someone guilty or make an example out of one person. It was to change broader habits and challenge the myth that short-distance trips without a seatbelt are harmless. So we searched for real people. I interviewed many before finding Christian: a young adult, someone who could be your brother, your son, your friend, surrounded by loving parents. We then created his perfect double, a crash-test dummy made to look exactly like him. Everything depended on protecting the first reaction. No tricks, no gimmicks, no second take. Just a family witnessing the crash of their loved one’s double. The track was composed with that same restraint: a discreet piano piece, something that could be played at a funeral.

Credits

Director — Olivier Staub

Director of Photography — Olivier Staub (StaubFilms)

Producer — Sam Petitclerc (Nova Film)

Client Representative — Anne Frederique Vigneault (SAAQ)

Client Representative — Eric Lambert (SAAQ)

Creative Director — Nicolas Boisvert (LG2)

Copywriter — Eric Chavagnac (LG2)

Copywriter — Félix-Antoine Belleville (LG2)

Art Director — Megan Plamondon (LG2)

Executive Producer — Charles Gaudreau (LG2)

Editor — LP Gagné (Nova Film)

Colorist — Eric Denis (Studio Element)

Sound Engineer — Dominic Cabana (Circonflex)

Original Composition — (Circonflex)

Chief Creative Officer — Luc Du Sault (LG2)

Chief Strategy Officer — Sophie-Annick Vallée (LG2)

Strategic Planner — Charlotte Arsenault (LG2)

Agency Producer — Katia Pellerin (LG2)

Deputy Managing Director — Eric Lambert (SAAQ)

Communications Advisor — Anne Frédéric Vigneault (SAAQ)

Press

SAAQ - Chaque année, près du tiers des occupants de véhicules de promenade qui décèdent dans un accident de la route ne sont pas attachés. : https://saaq.gouv.qc.ca/saaq/campagnes-sensibilisation/ceinture-securite-2026

Grenier: https://www.grenier.qc.ca/actualites/56792/la-saaq-frappe-limaginaire-pour-les-50-ans-de-la-ceinture-obligatoire

AdsOfTheWorld: https://www.adsoftheworld.com/campaigns/the-realistic-dummy

The Stable: https://www.thestable.com.au/lg2-nova-film-director-olivier-staub-crash-christians-mannequin-double-with-no-seatbelt/

BestAdsOnTv: https://www.bestadsontv.com/ad/191663/SAAQ-Societ-de-lAssurance-Automobile-du-Quebec-The-Realistic-Dummy

CreaPills - The Realistic Dummy Directed By Olivier Staub - Au Québec, la Sécurité routière crée le sosie d’un automobiliste pour lui faire regarder son propre crash: https://creapills.com/saaq-mannequin-realiste-crash-test-ceinture-20260702

L'auto-journal - Il regarde son sosie subir un accident pour comprendre le danger sans ceinture: https://www.autojournal.fr/actu/insolites-actu/sosie-accident-danger-ceinture-417956.html

Protegez vous - Un influenceur se voit mourir dans une vidéo produite pour la SAAQ: https://www.protegez-vous.ca/nouvelles/automobile/un-influenceur-se-voit-mourir-dans-une-video-produite-pour-la-saaq