Dumb Ways To Die viral views exceed the population of Australia
The views amassed on YouTube by Metro Trains’ Dumb Ways To Die viral has passed the population of Australia.
Launched just a week ago, the video – created by McCann Melbourne – has been watched 22.3m times, at the time of writing.
Paid media behind the campaign started in the middle of last week, with ads running locally in newspapers in Melbourne, such as commuter paper mX and, today, The Herald Sun.
The tune is being played without lyrics at train stations in Melbourne.
It’s a very clever way to approach a serious and important issue without the use of fear tactics seen in cigarette and TAC advertising campaigns. Well done Metro. For the first time, you made me smile!
Robelen Bajar
I’ve not watched the video but the minute I read the full page advert in the Herald Sun I thought “What a dumb campaign”.
Advertising people on this site have a long history of being negative and rude about any work but their own work, but @Suzanne, your comment has to take the cake, a campaign with roaring success, 24 million You Tube viewsl; you admit to not watching it and have the audacity to call it ‘dumb’.
I think it is dumb that there is no link to the clip from the Metro website. Oversight?
I’m not sure that engagement is measured by number of views.
At least it was fairly cheap.
Of all the hits and views – whereabouts have they come from? All from Australia? And all from people who catch the train?
It would be interesting to see if people remember it.
Haters gonna hate.
@Who-me? I’d suggest getting your eyes checked, there is a large banner reading ‘dumb ways to die’ that links to the ‘dumb ways to die’ microsite on the Metro website.
@Dan it doesn’t take an idiot to recognise that this campaign is not targeted to reach ‘all people who catch the train’. I have nothing to do with the campaign, but I’d dare say it was made to reach a younger demographic, the same younger demographic who stream or download their content and don’t watch free to air TV, thus can’t be reached through traditional media channels. There is no such thing as one size fits all these days.
It’s absolutely brilliant – cute imagery and lovely backing vocals while getting a serious subject across. Has to be up there for ad of the year?
Hi. Thank you for putting a smile on my face today. This film is brilliant, and the message is so clear. And with all the media hype all over the world, I am sure people will think twice about messing wih trains… =)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DjOL2we8ko
I absolutely love it!
I’m german but I live in Australia. Three german friends – who don‘t know each other – send me the link or posted it on facebook last week. It spreads really fast. They love it, even when they don‘t know or don‘t use Metro.
I wonder if a german company would have the guts to produce and release such a campaign because its headline is so “negative”.
Well, to be honest, I guess not. Bummer! Because as we can see very clearly it‘s been a huge success already. This video travels faster than everything else.
Well done Metro!
Good job McCann!
FYI: I am in Brazil, and I got this link last Friday 23rd Nov. I work as a graphic designer/illustrator mostly for kids educational stuff. In my opinion this is a brilliant concept and production! It makes everybody in all ages and countries to think about safety – train accidents, but much, much more! I think it is a delicate, sophisticate sense of humor. Congratulations to everyone involved!
This campaign might not work in terms of changing behaviour, but it is definitely popular and spreading via word-of-mouth. The question is, so people remember what it is for, or just the advertisement. My guess is people just remember and like the advertisement, not the brand. Hopefully this changes with mainstream media elements because how much stuff do people watch online and immediately forget?