CB at 10 Awards: Advert of the Decade
Winner: Dumb Ways to Die
Dumb Ways to Die wins with 45.33%. We loved this adorable public information video for Metro Trains Melbourne, created by Julian Frost and Cinnamon Darvall. Who'd have thought an advert about health and safety could be so fun, and deliver one of the catchiest ear-worms of the decade – listen to it at your peril. (If you want to listen to it, track down Tangerine Kitty on iTunes.)
Metro Australia's Dumb Ways to Die beat some impressive ads to win, including the inventive You Can't Stop Us for Nike by Wieden + Kennedy, a split screen film that merges athletes of all sports and genders together. Special mention goes to Womb Stories too by AMV BBDO for Bodyform, which brought an innovative and honest approach telling women's own lived experiences.
Part of what makes Dumb Ways to Die so enjoyable is the simple and stylised animation that juxaposes a serious message with cute characters. If you're new to animation then take a look at how you can achieve similar results with our guides to the how to improve your character animation and how to understand the 12 principles of animation.
You'll need the best tools too, so pick your way through our buying guides to the best laptops for animation and the best software for animation. Naturally, the best tablet for animation is a must.
I you get your short animation right, it can really take off and capture the imagination just like Dumb Ways to Die. Since it launched in 2012 there have been a series of video games and a successful YouTube channel; in 2021 PlaySide Studios bought the Dumb Ways to Die rights for $2.25 million and released an NFT collection. Silly and beautifully made, Dumb Ways to Die is an ad that turned into a franchise.
Advert of the Decade: Runners-up
- You Can't Stop Us (Nike) - 21.33%
- The Journey (John Lewis) - 16.00%
- Lamp Sequel (IKEA) - 9.33%
- WombStories (Bodyform) - 8.00%
Next page: Brand Campaign of the Decade
