McCann’s Dumb Ways to Die dominates all categories in round 5 of the 2013 Sirens Awards

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john and pat.jpgThe “Dumb Ways to Die” campaign for Metro Trains Melbourne, written by John Mescall (near left) and Pat Baron (far left) from agency McCann in Melbourne has won all categories in round 5 of the 2013 Sirens Awards.

 

The campaign, which includes ads “Set Fire to your Hair”, “Sell Both Your Kidneys” and “Eat a Tube of Superglue”, aimed to spread a rail safety message and gained worldwide viral momentum when it was launched in November last year. The ads use black humour with a catchy tune to promote the idea of safe behaviour around trains.

LISTEN TO THE WINNER – DWTD Radio ABC.mp3

Dumb Ways To Die album cover-thumb-400x400-100055.jpgSays John Mescall, creative team member and executive director of McCann: “We knew that people didn’t want to hear our message at all. It’s rail safety. Not only do young people not care about safety messages, but we know that they actively tune out these kinds of messages.

 

“So our idea was to embed our rail safety message into a song: a piece of content so desirable, that our audience would not only willingly listen to it, but if we put it on iTunes, maybe actually pay money to own it. I guess the inspiration was to make a radio ad that was nothing like a radio ad, but a lot more like the content on either side of the ads: the music.”

 

Within 24 hours of its release, the song was in the top 10 on the iTunes chart and a video released on YouTube was reportedly viewed 28 million times within two weeks.

 

Says Mescall: “We tried to make a radio ad that was nothing like a traditional radio ad. It’s a song first and foremost with a subtle but unmistakable message embedded into it. The fact that a lot of radio stations around the world have chosen to play the 3 minute version of our ad for free, as part of their music programming, tells us that we may well have pulled it off.”

 

Says Rem Bruijn, judge and creative director, brainheart: “For me ‘Dumb ways to die’ is the idea of the year. It integrates beautifully in any medium, but on radio it’s a belter. The ad that doesn’t sound like an ad. It’s a great comedy sketch, a cracking song and an advertising earworm all rolled into one. It’s a ‘likeable’, sharable, sweet-macabre masterclass on the use of dramatic counterpoints, that only gets better with every listen. I could crap on all day about it. It’s that good.”

Chief executive of Commercial Radio Australia, Joan Warner said it was rare for an ad to win all categories in the Siren Awards, reflecting the effectiveness and impact of the campaign.

 

Says Warner: “This campaign highlights how well radio combines with other media, particularly the internet, to engage the audience and get a message across. It really exemplifies the strength of good radio advertising.”

According to Metro Trains, the “Dumb Ways to Die” campaign contributed to a more than 30% reduction in “near-miss” accidents, in the three months between November and January this year.

The “Dumb Ways to Die” campaign is now in the running to win the best radio ad of the year, which will be announced in May. Writers of the best radio ad for 2013 win airfares, accommodation, plus automatic entry and tickets to this year’s Cannes Advertising Lions Festival held 16- 22 June. For the second year running, the client of the Gold Siren winning ad also wins a trip to Cannes and the Festival.

 

Round 5

Overall and campaign winner

Advertising Agency: McCann Melbourne

Creative Team: John Mescall & Pat Baron

Client: Metro Trains Melbourne

Commercial Title: Dumb Ways to Die (“Set Fire to Your Hair”, “Sell Both Your Kidneys”, “Eat a Tube of Superglue”)

 

Single Winner

As above for the ad “Set Fire to Your Hair”

 

Craft Winner

As above for the ad “Set Fire to Your Hair”

 

Single Highly Commended

As above for “Sell Both Your Kidneys” and “Eat a Tube of Superglue”

 

Craft Highly Commended

As above for “Sell Both Your Kidneys” and “Eat a Tube of Superglue”

 

Campaign – Highly Commended

Advertising Agency: CumminsRoss   

Writers: Ed Howely & Toby Cummings                                                                          

Client: VOK Beverages                          

Commercial Title: “Stay Strong”     

 

Advertising Agency: Clemenger BBDO Melbourne       

Writers: Jim Ingram & Ben Couzens                                                                           

Client: Victoria Bitter                          

Commercial Title: “Hard Earned Thirst”

 

Advertising Agency: DMG Radio Australia    

Writers: Nathan Russell                                                                           

Client: Mr Toys Toysworld                          

Commercial Title: “Mr T…O Y S”