"Speed Demons"

28 January 2026

77s

Beasts of burden.

Here there be monsters in NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi's latest campaign. Concerned about the impact of peer pressure and outdated social norms on drivers, NZTA turns these harmful behaviours into the Tailgator, the Backseat Whisperer, and the Late Runner—speed demons that must be slain as soon as possible.

The Tailgator is (you guessed it) a cross between an alligator and an impatient pick-up truck; the Backseat Whisperer is a fleshy and insistent mass of mouths, faces, and hands; and the Late Runner pokes its cursed face through the speedometer. They feast on chaos and bad calls on the road—strong, savvy drivers know to let them go hungry.

It's hard to take your eyes off the demons, however, and that's down to the hard work of director-slash-production designer Michael Hili and craftsman Joseph Leary. Each monster is a tactile nightmare that threatens to break through the screen, only to be thwarted by cooler heads and a refusal to rush. The brand hopes viewers agree that control of the road satisfies more than speed.

New Zealand

Public Information Films