Metro Trains ~ Dumb Ways to Die

Trains are the most predictable things on earth, and to be brutally honest if you decide to walk across train tracks between the platforms and don’t see a train coming and get hit by it… well, it’s your own dumb fault.

Rather than a typically earnest public service announcement, McCann opted for a mix of offbeat humour, a catchy tune and a collection of amiable animated characters to launch our message as an online music video under the compelling title Dumb Ways to Die. Within 24 hours of its launch, the Dumb Ways to Die song reached the top 10 chart of iTunes and was ranked number six on the singer/songwriter category on the global iTunes chart just 48 hours later. Within a week of its launch McCann's Dumb Ways To Die video had recorded over 15 million views and was pronounced "the fastest-growing Australian viral internet hit ever", outranking both Rihanna and Gangnam Style in global popularity. Still in its launch phase, McCann's Dumb Ways To Die campaign continues to attract both viewers and rave reviews in equal measure. Supported by an integrated advertising campaign, it has achieved over 30 million views and spawned a plethora of global parodies and spin-offs, attracting massive global media attention for Metro Trains and its safety message.