?? Examples of the trend ‘Dumb ways to die’ ??

Today's edition is slightly different from our previous ones - today we highlight and showcase the recent trend Dumb Ways to Die, which went viral on TikTok and led the app Dumb Ways To Die to hit #1 on the app store charts. Virality isnt dead - it’s just alive and kicking on new channels.

We share 5 examples of ways in which products/brands have used/leveraged this trend - that can hopefully inspire ideas for you too!

This trend consists of playing the ?signature sound? with a video that shows something that may result in near death or injury, but the video is paused before the outcome is shown.

It is a surprisingly versatile trend, considering it is borderline dark humor, and has been used to great effect by individuals and businesses alike.

We’ve dissected a bunch of videos below, so you can adapt them to your messaging.

Happy hunting!

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This video is an interesting take on the trend, because it is by an account showcasing ski stunts. So while it is a self-deprecating dig at themselves, it is also a way to show off their consummate skill and experience.

???? So: Is there a feature you can highlight that requires skill to do? It would play nicely with the psych hack of mastery that users look for in games.

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This is a clever reaction meme to Netflix’s announcement about password sharing. It uses a snowboarding accident to show how someone in the lead made a bad decision, and how they plummeted into last place as a consequence. The not-so-subtle implication is that it is the beginning of the end for Netflix.

???? ♀? So: Can you tie in a pop culture news moment to your app? Maybe use a game character or a product feature reacting to news or an event.

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Overwatch downgraded a playable character’s Ultimate (main ability). In this example, a player is jumping on the trend to comment on how it is a dumb way for opponents to die, as it is easily avoidable.

?? So: Can you create a meme about gameplay from an opponent’s perspective?

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Another game has taken a situation from their gameplay to jump on the trend. Here the character is shown making a poor decision that will obviously lead to its death.

?? So: Can you mine a situation from your game that leads to the character’s imminent demise?

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The OG song creators are posting reaction videos TikToks of people’s creative takes on the viral trend. Dumb Ways to Die was a 2012 rail safety campaign for Metro Trains Melbourne, and it follows the lives of anthropomorphic beans and their poor decisions that lead them to die in comically gruesome ways.

?? So: Can you jump on the trend and post reaction videos? Tie in your messaging to stay on-brand. This is especially great if your demographic is Gen Z.

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That’s it for this week, folks! We’ll be back next week with another dose of the Daily Ad.

Cheers -

Shamanth.