After the unprecedented success of the original campaign, the challenge was to spread our rail safety message to an audience of young people right around the world. So we created ‘Dumb Ways to Die: The Games’. A rail safety PSA in disguise where players travel by train between new worlds with over 18 new characters, and try to keep them alive as they compete across 4 different arenas in some of the dumbest sports ever invented. Interspersed throughout were explicit train safety messages disguised as bonus point mini-games. Metro’s rail safety campaign for Australia became a rail safety message for the entire world, becoming the number 1 app in over 83 countries.

 
 
 
 
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Results

• #1 iPhone App in 53 countries
• #1 iPad App in 83 countries
• 65 Million pledges to be safe
• 4.5 Billion mini-game plays

 
 
 
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Recognition

2017 – Cannes Lions FINALIST (Dumb ways to die: The Games) Creative Effectiveness
2015 – Cannes Lions FINALIST (Dumb ways to die: The Games) Interactive: Games
2015 – The One Show SILVER (Dumb ways to die: The Games) Mobile: Branded Games
2015 – The One Show SILVER (Dumb ways to die: The Games) Interactive: Branded Games
2015 – The Webby Awards FINALIST (Dumb ways to die: The Games) Games: Handheld
2015 – The Webby Awards FINALIST (Dumb ways to die: The Games) Games: Tablet
2015 – Siren Awards HIGHLY COMMENDED (Dumb ways to die: Deck the halls) Craft
2015 – New York Festivals THIRD PRIZE (Dumb ways to die: The Games) Digital Games
2015 – AdStars SILVER (Dumb ways to die: The Games) Mobile
2015 – AdStars SILVER (Dumb ways to die: The Games) PSA
2015 – AdStars BRONZE (Dumb ways to die: The Games) Branded Viral Videos
2015 – AdStars BRONZE (Dumb ways to die: The Games) Interactive
2015 – AdStars CRYSTAL (Dumb ways to die: The Games) Mobile: Product/Service
2015 – Australian Effie Awards BRONZE (Nimble it & move on) Retail/e-Tail
2014 – BestAds TOP 6 (Dumb ways to die: The Games) Interactive

 

Creatives: Patrick Trethowan, John Mescall, Pat Baron, David Ponce de Leon, Julian Frost
Development: Millipede
Production: Dirty Puppet
Illustration: Simon Childerhouse