Every Mumbaikar needs to see this Cannes Grand Prix winner

In a few days (at the most) this message, to draw attention to the stupidity of getting hit and killed by a train, would have crossed 50 million views. Of those who have seen the message, a whopping 1 in 10 have liked it.

It's no surprise, then, that Dumb Ways to Die (for Metro Trains) picked up the Grand Prix for both Direct and PR.

[caption id="attachment_882655" align="aligncenter" width="380"] Dumb Ways To Die (for Metro Trains) campaign[/caption]

What are the alternative (stupid) ways to die? The communication lists myriad possibilities.

These are just a few: Set fire to your hair. Poke a stick at a grizzly bear.

Finally, you see the dumb ways to die around a train. Fall off the platform (and splat, into a train), cross an unmanned level crossing in your car without checking whether a train is coming (splat, into a train) or cross the railway tracks carelessly (splat, into a train). Try and visualize these situations - and your mind's eye takes you to blood, gore, violence.

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That's the beauty of the communication. While the situations are suggestive of gore, the way that the creators, McCann, Melbourne, have treated the idea - through animation, and with a lilting almost lullaby-ish song - imprints the message in your mind, almost in an entertaining manner.

Here's the film-

This film (the treatment of it, as least) needs to be adapted for use in Mumbai - where, on the average, 10 people die every day in train related accidents.

Till a made-for-Mumbai film is available, take a hard look at this - and pass it on.