"Dumb Ways to Die": Advertising Train Safety
"We didn't preach, we didn't threaten, we didn't lecture...
We wanted to engage a young audience who are wired to resist warnings from authorities." - John Mescall
The Campaign Grew
- 3.8 Facebook video shares
- Song - Top 10 on iTunes
- Mobile app game
- Cannes Lions festival awards
Case Study
Lessons Learned
The Campaign - "Dumb Ways to Die"
Was it successful?
McCann Advertising
- itemized 18 dumb ways to die followed by 3 train safety related messages
- egg-shaped pastel characters
- "dark humor, delivered with joy"
- Doesn't necessarily have to be a product to be marketed
- Thinking outside the box
- Fear doesn't equal successful campaign
- Wanted to develop a new style of public service campaigns
- limited to $200,000
- "something invisible visible"
- John Mescall and Julian Frost
video released November 14, 2013
- Led to 30% reductions in serious train accidents
- Reached over 17 countries
- Still effective today
- Dumb Ways to Die 2
- People are making parodies of the song and video
- Metro Trains Melbourne concern with passenger safety
- Various incidents through the years
- 3 main concerns:
- standing on edge of platform
- impatient drivers at boom gates
- sprinting over the tracks
The Problem
- Traditional PSA's about train accidents/deaths weren't working effectively
- People ignored the loud speaker announcements
- Were trying to reach a young audience, but weren't sure how
- Traditional PSAs weren't relatable