Dumb Ways to Die Metro Song Commentary

Metro an international company that just so happens to run the suburban trains in Melbourne - like any private transport operator it is fighting a constant battle against the fact that trains are delayed, the system is out of date, the services aren't all that reliable and the public get angry. Hardly the material for PR.

Anyway, they've just released this and it is going to be huge.




It absolutely ticks every box it could possibly tick in terms of online marketing.

Cute - check!
Slightly creepy (but also cheeky) animations- check!
Incredibly catchy song - check!
Ear-worm chorus repeated (and repeated and repeated)- check!
Leaked online to Fairfax Press before official release - check!
Slightly outrageous/potential for being controversial .... CHECK!

A Metro spokesperson was quoted in The Age being upfront that this was not about poking fun at those effected by accidents on their train system and that they were very serious about Rail Safety. There are going to be a few who think this is poor taste but they will be in the minority - this will rise above it. I think we can deal with it, Edward Gorey got there first and proved this sort of thing captivates our imaginations.

But you know what is perhaps best of all? They haven't tagged onto the Gangham Style or Call Me Maybe Parodies bandwagon - many of which are genuinely good - or have done something dumbed down and cliche. This is creativity plain and simple.

And if it gets kids to take out their headphones before darting across the closed crossing it will be worth having  the tune stuck in your head all week. And maybe just maybe, you yourself might think twice about doing stupid things around public transport.