With train incidents and collisions on the rise, KiwiRail had to find a new way to get through to people.

Following pandemic restrictions, listening to yet another government safety message had little appeal to people.

We needed something radically different to not only get attention, but to get our message to stick long term so the safe behaviours we were encouraging became routine.

Ultimately, our goal was simple – to reduce collisions and incidents by reminding people of the need to always behave safely at level crossings.

To get attention from the target audience, we didn’t create an ad – we created a superstition.

The first superstition to actually save lives.

By getting people to blow to the left and right before they crossed train tracks, the superstition prompted them to look both ways without even realising it.

But for the superstition to catch on, it needed to look and feel like it already existed. So we embedded it within existing content and stories online before getting influencers to start talking about superstitions and generating PR – with The Rail Ritual simply appearing amidst their other content.

Finally, when the superstition looked like it had already been around for years, KiwiRail endorsed it throughout Rail Safety Week. This unusual approach to promoting a Rail Safety Week message was an instant hook for news outlets – which all earned more attention from our target audience.

Whether you're a rural truck driver or urban pedestrian, it's easy to become complacent when you pass the same tracks each day without any incident. So this national PSA needed to reach any New Zealander who walks, cycles, or drives over train tracks.

After years of serious warnings and safety messages with ailing results, KiwiRail needed something more positive but powerful to interrupt this complacency. And with an audience so broad, KiwiRail needed an insight with an appeal just as broad – so we tapped into illogical, unavoidable human nature to drive positive behaviours. A superstition proved just the vehicle to prompt behaviour change in a light hearted yet compelling way.

The superstition was then embedded within existing online content to be referenced and leveraged by influencers and radio hosts, generating more attention and conversation. Assets were also distributed throughout Rail Safety Week at stations to reinforce earned PR.

Months before launch, we inserted mentions of the superstition across the internet, placing it everywhere from within existing and new conversations on social networks and forums to blogs and Wikipedia.

Once a credible backstory was established in case anyone dug into its origins, we were ready to start larger conversations about the ritual, working with prominent radio hosts, comedians, influencers and sports stars to begin talking about the superstition. Again, the superstition needed to appear like part of their natural conversations, so it was placed within content that was typical of their other work.

Finally, the superstition was established and ready for KiwiRail to simply endorse in Rail Safety Week as a behaviour that not only gave you a chance of good luck, but also got you to look both ways before crossing train tracks. This innovative approach led to national news coverage and media attention.

Reach increased by 330%, clicks on KiwiRail content increased by 49% and campaign impressions increased by 157% from the year prior – spreading the safety message to all kinds of New Zealanders.

Even government officials got behind the campaign, appearing on national television demonstrating the superstition, creating huge consumer awareness.

Most importantly, zero pedestrians have died at level crossings since the campaign.

Year on year, all general public incidents have decreased by 53%.