China: Human signs to raise awareness of road accident risks

In China, every three minutes, someone is injured in a traffic accident. Every ten minutes, someone is killed in one. More than half of these incidents could be avoided if pedestrians and drivers simply followed traffic signs.

To mark World Road Safety Day 2014, Lowe China collaborated with Buick to remind drivers and passersby that signs are there to be obeyed. They invited nine traffic accident victims to pose as human traffic signs during peak traffic periods in accident-prone areas.

The aim was to raise awareness of the danger by directly confronting motorists and pedestrians with the real consequences of risky behavior: speeding, failure to obey traffic lights, distracted driving, etc.

The emotional impact of seeing human beings branded into their flesh instead of mere road signs was shocking, but also memorable. The campaign was praised for its courage and visual power, though it was also divisive in its directness.

At AdStars 2014, the international advertising festival held in Busan, Korea, Lowe China's "Human Traffic Sign" safety campaign won an impressive number of awards, including the first-ever Best of the Best Grand Prix for an agency in China, which also came with a US$10,000 cash prize. Generously, Lowe China decided to donate the money to charity.

Lowe China also won a Grand Prix for Print, a Gold Medal for Film, a Silver Medal for Film Craft, a Bronze Medal for Outdoor Craft, and a Bronze Brand Stars Award for its client Shanghai General Motors.