Human Traffic signs: meaningful campaign to warn pedestrians in China

This television commercial features real traffic accident victims who agreed to participate in this meaningful campaign to warn pedestrians and motorists not to avoid the same disasters.

“Traffic signs are there for a reason” says Shanghai General Motors, via Lowe Shanghai.

Trying to be calm and hide their emotion, the victims’ amputated bodies, or the family of the deceased, say it all as they pose as human traffic signs. They quietly carry the important warnings at these accident-prone locations.

Lowe China won a few awards in Cannes for this campaign. A Silver Lion for Outdoor, a Bronze Lion for Photography – and the film produced for this campaign won a Bronze Lion too.

Official entry for Cannes Lions

HUMAN TRAFFIC SIGNS
SHANGHAI GENERAL MOTORS
BUICK
LOWE CHINA Shanghai, CHINA

Brief Explanation:
As part of the Buick Road Safety program, this television commercial features real traffic accident victims who kindly agreed to participate in this meaningful project to warn pedestrians and motorists not to avoid the same disasters. Trying to be calm and hide their emotion, the victims’ amputated bodies, or the family of the deceased, say it all as they pose as human traffic signs. They quietly carry the important warnings at these accident-proned locations. The human traffic signs are s a stark reminder for the many pedestrians and motorists that signs are there for a reason. Buick wants to remind them that they should obey the rules because it is a matter of life or death.

Creative Execution:
All episodes in the film are genuine experience of the victims in the actual traffic accidents.

In China, there are countless traffic accidents victims. However, only a few are willing to revisit their experience in public. The search took the agency over three months: through China’s transport ministry, NGOs like China’s physically handicapped association, handicapped and sports association, etc. From several hundred, we shortlisted 100 candidates. We traveled to all corners of the country to interview the victims and their families to understand their stories and what they went through. Almost all victims were moved by our effort and about half of them were willing to come out and tell their stories. Finally, we selected ten victims, based on the types of accidents and injuries, to be included in the final film.