Denver USA rolls out Metro’s award-winning ‘Dumb Ways To Die’ via McCann Melbourne

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DENVER1.jpgMetro Trains Melbourne has announced the inaugural launch of the ‘Dumb Ways to Die‘ safety campaign by the Regional Transportation District (RTD) in the Denver metro area, Colorado, USA.

RTD has adapted the international award winning Melbourne train safety campaign to also include messages for its bus customers in Denver.

denver_CHARACTER.jpgRTD approached MTM last year to license the ‘Dumb Ways to Die’ safety champions’ campaign as the authority prepared to expand its network in the metropolitan Denver region.

RTD’s Interim general manager and CEO Dave Genova of the Regional Transportation District in Denver said the authority was proud to be the first public transport operator in the United States to license the ‘Dumb Ways to Die’ safety awareness campaign which will target its bus and train passengers as well as implementation of a school-based safety education program.

Says Genova: “Safety is RTD’s number 1 priority, and we have an excellent safety record that we want to maintain in the upcoming year with the expansion of our bus and rail service.

“The Dumb Ways to Die campaign has proven to be wildly popular and effective in Melbourne and we plan to use it here in Denver metro area to bring the serious message of being safe around buses and trains to a wider audience through humor and animation.”

The RTD branded, ‘Dumb Ways to Die – Take the safety pledge – be safe around buses and trains’ will be rolled out from 21 January and include; education resources for school children, a promotional awareness campaign that will feature on bus and trains, and a dedicated digital interface with the Denver public including Facebook and Twitter.

MTM’s chief corporate relations and business development officer, Leah Waymark explained the opportunity to licence the successful ‘Dumb Ways to Die’ campaign in the United States demonstrates that no matter where you live, safety around public transport is a universal challenge.

Says Waymark: “Too often we see people take risks and do dumb things around trains, right around the world. Our campaign evolved in 2012 out of a discussion with platform staff and drivers who witness people risking their safety around train stations and at level crossings. We wanted to teach people about the importance of rail safety and the very real consequences of taking a risk to save a few minutes.

“Education made entertaining and in particular, educating young people about being safe around trains (as well as buses and anything else) in a style and language young people will engage with is at the core of what this campaign is about.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with our public transport counterparts in Denver and look forward to developing some new creative to help target specific challenges on the RTD network. Watch this space.”

Further information on the ‘Dumb Ways to Die’ campaign:

Since its November 2012 launch in Melbourne the DWTD safety champions’ campaign has received:

o Over 190 million YouTube channel views – youtube.com/user/DumbWays2Die

o Over 185 million downloads and over 3 billion games played (Dumb Ways to Die 1 and 2)

o Over 100 million pledges to be safe around trains through the website, games and

onsite activation

o ‘Dumb Ways to Die Wire Walk’ launched on Apple TV, December 8, 2015