Running Head: GLOBAL CASE ANALYSIS 1

Global Case Analysis: Dumb Ways to Die Campaign

Charlotte E. Higgins

Purdue University

GLOBAL CASE ANALYSIS 2

Introduction

Metro Trains Melbourne, commonly referred to as Metro, is the metropolitan train

service in the city of Melbourne, the capitol of the Australian state of Victoria. This public

transport service is comprised of 203 six-carriage trains that operate across more than 500 miles

of track with 15 lines and 218 stations (Who We Are, 2014). The company claims to transport

more than 400,000 customers daily (Who We Are, 2014).

Metro enlisted the help of advertising agency McCann Melbourne, a branch of McCann

Worldgroup, to develop a public service announcement to encourage audiences, especially

younger customers, to use safe behavior around trains (Melbourne’s Metro Trains launches,

2012). The agency developed a campaign that revolved around the concept for a three-minute

animated music video. John Mescall, who was Executive Creative Director of McCann

Melbourne at the time, wrote the video’s featured song, and the Dumb Ways to Die campaign

was born.

Since its launch on YouTube on Nov. 16, 2012, the Dumb Ways to Die music video has

been viewed almost 100 million times and shared close to 5 million times. According to McCann

Melbourne’s website, as of February 2015, the Dumb Ways to Die video is still the third most

shared ad in history (Dumb Ways). The integrated ad campaign, combined with the ensuing

parodies and spin-offs, have brought Metro’s messaging to the attention of millions consumers

around the world. The campaign is the most awarded in Cannes history, and more than 127

million people pledged to be safer around trains after viewing the campaign (McCann).

GLOBAL CASE ANALYSIS 3

International Communication Context

Before suggesting a strategic communication plan for a similar public service

announcement in another country, it is important to examine Australia’s unique cultural context

using Sriramesh and Vercic’s (2009) framework.

Political ideology. Sriramesh and Vercic (2009) suggested Australia’s political structure

“can be described as an amalgam of the British and American political systems” (p. 112). While

Australia employs a parliamentary democracy and views the Queen of England as the formal

Head of State, the country is also divided into states similar to the American political system.

Economic system. According to Sriramesh and Vercic (2009), Australia’s major goods

are mineral resources and agriculture. The majority of Australia’s inhabitants is well-educated

and has access to a mobile device and the Internet (Sriramesh and Vercic, 2009).

Degree of activism. According to Fitzroy Legal Service, Inc. (Legal Context, 2015),

Australia has an extensive history with activism, beginning with the Aboriginal activists who

struggled against political oppression. Sriramesh and Vercic (2009) explained that topics such as

the British Queen’s role as head of state and the treatment of Aboriginal people continue to be

strongly debated among the Australian people.

Culture. Australia is multicultural, and there is a wide divide between White Australians

and the Aboriginal people, who “overall, suffer from ill health and welfare dependency”

(Sriramesh and Vercic, 2009, p. 120). Sriramesh and Vercic (2009) wrote that cultural identity in

Australia is “a political, strategic, positional concept” (p. 119).

Media system. Sriramesh and Vercic (2009) described Australia as a media-saturated

county. As the number of journalists employed by news organizations has declined, the media

GLOBAL CASE ANALYSIS 4

has become increasingly dependent on public relations practitioners for news (Sriramesh and

Vercic, 2009, p. 123). Agencies in both the public and private sector own parts of the media.

Critique of Communication Plan

Strengths. The Dumb Ways to Die campaign was successful on an international level for

three major reasons. Firstly, McCann’s approach to the public service announcement was

innovative and unique. In order to attract viewers, McCann and Metro marketing leaders decided

to pursue “entertainment rather than advertising” (Diaz, 2013). Mescall stated, “It was the

counterintuitive nature of the idea, the weirdness and positivity of the execution, the sheer joy of

the song and the video, and the attention to detail across all elements of the work that ensured its

success” (as quoted in Diaz, 2013).

A second strength of the Dumb Ways to Die campaign is its longevity. In May of 2013,

McCann released an app version of the video featuring the familiar cartoons and messages. The

game app was the number one free app in more than 20 countries, and its sequel, Dumb Ways to

Die 2: The Games, became the number one app in more than 83 countries after its release in

November of 2014 (Dumb Ways). When asked about future plans for the campaign, Mescall

revealed that McCann intends to continue developing game assets and to branch into other

entertainment platforms (as quoted in Diaz, 2013).

A third strength is the campaign’s intentional digital strategy to target specific publics.

Since Metro wanted the campaign to be geared towards teenagers and young adults, Mescall and

the rest of the McCann team utilized platforms commonly used by those specific audiences, such

as apps, YouTube and other social media channels. They also made sure the messaging was

presented in a manner that would appeal to younger audiences. Mescall said, “People appreciate

GLOBAL CASE ANALYSIS 5

that Metro has made the effort to both inform and entertain without hitting people over the head"

(as quoted in Gruger, 2012).

Considerations for a similar campaign in Asia. One of Metro’s major shareholders is

Hong Kong’s MTR Corporation, so it would not be a stretch for a similar train safety campaign

to be requested for an Asian audience. The cultural context of Asia must first be taken into

consideration in order for the campaign to be effective. For instance, one of the major criticisms

surrounding the Dumb Ways to Die ad was that the offbeat humor trivialized death and suicide.

Louie (2014) explained, “Suicide has long been a way to preserve one’s family honor in Asia.”

Thus, a campaign that features cute cartoons walking into deadly situations, regardless of

whether it was intentional or not, may not be the best way to encourage a young Asian audience

to utilize safe behavior around trains. Since Asian culture emphasizes “in-group belonging and

affiliation with family” (Louie, 2014), a train safety campaign for an Asian audience should

emphasize the honor and unity demonstrated when one follows safety protocol around trains.

Conclusion

Metro, with the help of McCann, was able to set a new standard for public service

announcements. Through innovation and an intentional digital strategy to reach target audiences,

McCann’s enduring communications plan regarding safe behavior around trains has swelled

from its Australian base to the international community. These same tactics can be utilized when

creating a similar campaign for another country, although the unique aspects of the respective

culture will need to be researched and given serious consideration. Although some dispute

Metro’s assertion that the Dumb Ways to Die promotion decreased the number of fatal incidents

around trains (Ward, 2015), the campaign certainly opened a global dialogue regarding safety,

proving that innovative advertising can be a smart approach after all.

GLOBAL CASE ANALYSIS 6

References

Diaz, A. (2013, November 11). How 'Dumb Ways to Die' Won the Internet, Became the No. 1

Campaign of the Year. Retrieved May 16, 2015, from http://adage.com/article/special-

report-the-awards-report/dumb-ways-die-dissected/245195/

Dumb Ways to Die | McCann (n.d.). Retireved May 16, 2015, from

http://mccann.com.au/project/dumb-ways-to-die/

Gruger, W. (2012). NOT SO 'DUMB' AFTER ALL. Billboard, 124(45), 50-51. Retrieved May

16, 2015, from http://web.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.lib.purdue.edu/ehost/detail

/detail?sid=bb369b64-e0ab-4472-b68c-442bfd2f72d6%40sessionmgr4003&

vid=0&hid=4106&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=aph&AN=842751

29

Legal Context of Activism. (2015). Retrieved May 17, 2015, from

http://www.activistrights.org.au/handbook/ch01.php

Long, R. (2013, July 13). Dumb Ways To Die and A Strange Sense of Success. Retrieved May 17,

2015, from http://www.safetyrisk.net/dumb-ways-to-die-and-a-strange-sense-of-success/

Louie, S. (2014, June 30). Asian Honor and Suicide. Retrieved May 17, 2015, from

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/minority-report/201406/asian-honor-and-suicide

Melbourne’s Metro Trains launches ‘dumb ways to die’ campaign to curb preventable train-

related deaths. (2012, November 16). Retrieved May 15, 2015, from

http://mumbrella.com.au /metro-trains-launches-dumb-ways-to-die-campaign-to-curb-

train-related-deaths-126044

Sriramesh, K., & Vercic, D. (2009). The Global Public Relations Handbook, Revised and

Expanded Edition: Theory, Research, and Practice. New York: Routledge.

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Ward, M. (2015, January 30). Has Dumb Ways to Die been effective? Retrieved May 17, 2015,

from http://mumbrella.com.au/dumb-ways-die-stopped-dumb-behaviour-around-trains-

270751

Who we are | Metro Trains. (2014). Retrieved May 16, 2015 from

http://www.metrotrains.com.au/who-we-are/