Ghost Chips ad has 'off the chart' value

The award-winning "Ghost Chips" drink-drive advert has been credited with having an unprecedented impact.

The clip was aimed at young Maori males, but a study found more than 90 per cent of people remember the ad when prompted.

Three quarters of those who recall the ad said it was likely to stop them from drink-driving.

The figures are from research carried out by the New Zealand Transport Agency and released to the Herald on Sunday. NZTA spokesman Andy Knackstedt described the result as "off the charts".

But the campaign's success has shown up a few of the not-so successful campaigns.

Just 65 per cent of those surveyed could recall the "Donna Time" campaign when prompted, which depicts a family of recidivist drink drivers.

Other adverts were memorable for different reasons.

The "Mantrol" campaign, released in 2010, was "hated" by one in five people.

A further 14 per cent either said it was average, irrelevent, boring, didn't make sense or angered them.

NZTA national advertising manager Rachel Prince said the Ghost Chips ad was such a success it was unfair to compare it to others.

About $12 million is spent annually on advertising, a small fraction of the $300m spent on police enforcement.

The Ghost Chips ad has attracted more than 2.1 million hits on YouTube and has also been partially credited for a 50 per cent drop in the number of teenagers caught drink-driving in the past five years.