Metro Trains Melbourne launched “Dumb Ways to Die” in 2012 to promote railway safety through an animated song and music video.
The campaign showed colorful characters dying in absurd ways before shifting to dangers around trains, such as standing too close to the platform edge or crossing tracks. Its catchy song was created by songwriter John Mescall and musician Ollie McGill, with animation by Julian Frost.
Instead of relying on graphic crashes or a stern lecture, the campaign used humor and a memorable melody. The video spread rapidly online and became one of the most shared public-service campaigns of its era. It also expanded into games, books, and licensed merchandise.
The title is sometimes treated as merely the name of a song, but it was a broader safety campaign for Metro Trains. Its success demonstrated how public information could borrow the style and distribution methods of viral entertainment.