Track Tests
Network Rail
Issue 34 | March 2015
Agency
M&C Saatchi London
Creative Team
Executive Creative Director Elspeth Lynn Copywriters Dan McCormack Luke Boggins Art Directors Luke Boggins Dan McCormack
Production Team
Production Company Mrs Grey Director Alex Garzioli Audio Post Production Angell Sound
Other Credits
Senior Account Manager Andy Humphreys Planner Bridget McCann Media Agency Walker Media Media Planner Jess Treasure
Date
September 2013
Background
Britain has one of the busiest rail networks in the world. Every year, around 50 people are killed and injured because they are trespassing on the railway tracks. Even though fines of up to £1,000 GBP are levied, teenage boys in particular are undeterred.
Idea
'Track tests' was both an online film and a game using rapper star Wretch 32 and spoken-word performer George the Poet. In a series of tests using a 360o sound system, the pair tried to identify the direction of a train speeding towards them at 80mph and react before it reached them. They discovered it was not easy, especially when the sounds of traffic and wind were layered in as well.
As George said: "You think you know where it's coming from, then bang. Game over."
From YouTube, viewers were prompted to take the test themselves. There were three levels, which were increasingly realistic.
Results
The previous YouTube video with hurdler Dai Greene reached 1.25m views. 'Track tests' reached 2.5m views.
Our Thoughts
At Directory we are usually harsh and reject any idea over six months old. But this passed us by in 2014. In the hope it passed most of our readers by too, here it is – the response to what was the worst brief in advertising anywhere in 2013. ‘Dumb Ways To Die’ had just won 5 Grands Prix and 18 Gold Lions at Cannes when the team at M&C got handed exactly the same task. Try to get kids to stop killing themselves.
Oh, and by the way, don’t do a song. Or animation. It’s been done.
At Directory, a couple of us thought this was actually better than DWTD, which was all very nice and white- middle-class-y. M&C identified its target audience (urban, young, immortal) through their heroes and spoke to them in language they’d understand. Making it both a film and a game was, again, exactly the right thing to do. Though it deserves plenty, I think the only reason it hasn’t been scooping up awards around the world is railway-safety fatigue.