The Lane Change Song encourages drivers not to change lanes plus...5 more creative media metaphor campaigns
Metaphors appeal to our imagination by turning the familiar into something extraordinary and engaging. While visual metaphors - along with similes, analogies, and visual minimalism - are the types most used in print ads and the ones most celebrated by industry professionals, there are many other metaphors worthy of review. In this post we take a look at media metaphors that cover everything from social influencer channels, billboards, TV presenters, and radio.
The Lane Change Song | Bridgestone | Africa | 2023
In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the number of traffic accidents rose from 2,931 in 2021 to 3,488 with one of the leading causes of fatalities being reckless lane changing. To show the dangers of carelessly switching lanes, Serviceplan ME and Bridgestone MEA created a first-of-its-kind radio roadblock: 'The Lane Change Song'. By synchronizing its broadcast across the UAE's leading channels, listeners found themselves unable to escape this PSA by changing channels, just as they are unable to escape traffic by changing lanes. This pop-rock song was produced in three languages and was simultaneously aired on seven radio channels. The launch coincided with the United Nations Global Road Safety Week, aligning with Bridgestone's commitment to road safety through its Road Safety initiative. 'The Lane Change Song' serves as an engaging media metaphor that reminds drivers of the importance of responsible driving and the risks associated with reckless lane changes.
Media That Eats Pollution | Volkswagen | PHD | 2021
When VW wanted to advertise their new £30K electric car, made in a carbon-neutral production plant in Germany they knew that their advertising had to remain authentic to their cause. Instead of using traditional out-of-home such as LED screens or a boarded poster, they opted for Airlite – a 100% natural material that is said to eliminate odours and reduce pollutants, including reducing air pollution in the same way as a forest would. By aligning its campaign with the green credentials of the manufacturing plant and the car itself, VW showed that it thinks of the whole journey and how everything they do makes an impact. A certain way to impress a consumer looking to change their car to a more environmentally friendly option.
-60% Culture | State Of The Arts | BBDO | 2021
In November 2019, a newly formed Flemish Government decided to cut funding for art & culture projects across Belgium by 60%. For a public proud of their cultural heritage, it was hard for them to envisage the impact this decision would have on art. To help Belgians visualise the consequences, State of the Arts created a media metaphor by covering 60% of various works of art, using the official Flemish colour yellow. This work was then sent to the artists who at the same time all shared these reworked images across their social networks using the hashtag #thisisourculture. The hashtag #thisisourculture instantly became viral generating around €1.6 million in earned media attention and more importantly, forced the Government to reverse its decision.
The Missing | MTV | TBWA\ | 2018
Since the start of the Lebanese civil war in 1975, over 17,000 people have gone missing. Now, their relatives are dying, making it harder to get DNA samples that can give answers to families of the missing. To draw attention to the issue, MTV Lebanon left the chairs of their news presenters empty during a live broadcast. The news network also encouraged people to disappear on social media by turning their profile picture white.
EqualiTV | :La Sirena | Pagés BBDO | 2016
To break the pattern of normalising discrimination against women in the workplace in the Dominican Republic, the medium of live television was used to metaphorically depict it. One of the country’s biggest employers, supermarket La Sirena used EqualiTV to show what discriminating against women at work looked like. The country’s most-watched shows were used as a metaphor for the unequal balance of women in certain jobs. For each job that was overlaid onscreen, the percentage of women in the job would be represented by how much of the female presenter was shown. In many cases, this was jarring, and the female presenter was hardly onscreen. Using a gender-balanced job – pairs of male/female presenters – framed differently helped show how many other jobs didn’t have such balance.
Brutal Cut | Actionaid | Weber Shandwick | 2016
Action Aid wanted to raise awareness about the plight of millions of African Girls at risk of genital mutilation (FGM) each year. To do so they created a #BrutalCut of their own. Short video messages from Kenyan girls at risk from FGM were ‘brutally cut’ into content by vloggers, influencers, publishers, and more. This disturbing media (and wordplay) metaphor was simple to grasp and exploded across traditional and social media.