Does An Award Make Marketing More Real?

The music stopped me. I recognized the tune, and I started to shake. It was the kind of reaction you see in C Horror Movies when the evil villain, who you watched die a horrible death two scenes before, pops up in a semblance of life…lurching across the screen.??

I asked my granddaughter, whose iPad was the source of the tune, what she was listening to. “Papa,” she said. “It’s a video game I love. Come see! It's really cool how the figures get killed.”

And my worst fear was confirmed. The music was from Dumb Ways to Die, the most awarded campaign ever in the history of the Cannes Lions Festival (advertising/“innovation” awards), which began life as a public service program promoting train safety for the Metro Train Service in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is still in play, most recently as a source of NFT wealth for the gaming company that bought its rights.?

According to the source, the campaign was hugely successful. Metro Trains found a 21% reduction in train station incidents, as of 2013, with the following caveat:?

“While it is hard to attribute this result directly to the campaign, it is a positive statistic that does help argue that the campaign has been effective.”

There is no question of its success. The safety program morphed into an entertainment property with hundreds of millions of downloads and billions of game plays as kids around the world reveled in the deaths of the characters. Parents leaving reviews were either OK with it—as it helped teach coordination—and/or had trepidations about all the gore and killing. None mentioned train or other safety.?

Bottom line: A catchy song. Engaging graphics. Lots of death. And…no one is ready to say that it actually affected what it was briefed for—train safety. Unfortunately, there is no way to even begin to prove that it had any effect, anywhere, on overall child welfare.

The year after it took Cannes Lions by storm, it was entered into the same festival’s Creative Effectiveness category (I was President of the Jury), and it won NADA. More telling in Australia, home to its program, it was also entered into the EFFIES, which is all about real results. It didn’t sweep as one might imagine, winning a modest Silver and Two Bronze awards.?

You can find an in-depth analysis of the story in an article by Miranda Ward in the January 30, 2015, Mumbrella from Australia. She thoroughly looks at the research that documented the “results.” She spoke to people on the jury and presented a balanced and fair view of a viral video—later game. It was a flash sensation, but it really had little to do with anything other than a catchy tune, engaging video, and later on, an addictive game.?

Frankly, I’m not interested in taking anyone down…least of all the creators, nor am I interested in debating this. In fact, the only reason I used Dumb Ways to Die as an example was that my granddaughter was killing off its protagonists at the top of the week. As I said, I had flashbacks.

My interest is in what we view as successful campaigning—what criteria we use, what measurements we employ (beyond likes), and what lessons we learn to create best practices for the future.?

And, as many of my colleagues and friends gear up to judge the NY Festivals and then Cannes Lions this month, many are live—face-to-face for the first time since the Covid Plague began, I wanted to remind all that they are accountable for veracity…choosing work that will inspire the industry…uncovering the true successes that built business and brand. In general, not falling prey to DIGIBABBLE crowd pressure and the need/urge to show you are edgy and off the charts creative.?

Why do I care? Why do I think this is important…if not critical??

Simple.

The best work, the most creative work, and the most innovative works are realized when there is trust between client and agency. The longest tenure relationships are built around trust.?

Trust erodes when we push work that wins awards and loses business for our clients. Trust erodes when we talk about game change, but the only thing that changes is business momentum going south. Trust erodes when we speak in hyperbole and deliver underwhelming results.?

To be clear: I blame clients as much as I blame agencies. It's easy to buy into the rhetoric. It's harder to call time-out on what seems big and innovative when in reality is just smoke and mirrors.?

As you all return to the jury rooms, as our clients and colleagues wait to hear who and what won, stay real.

• Judge real results, sales, engagements, and acquisition.
• Look for real creative, not Reel creative.
• Judge it twice…once as a creative, then as a consumer. Then judge it again.
• Ask yourself, “Is It real?” Authentic is a mere copy…we want real.

And then go ahead, watch Dumb Ways to Die; it will save you time and trouble.?

I’m off to play with my granddaughter…

What’s your view?