For the second time in recent months I've been shown some fantastic work in the area of transportation safety. In both cases the work was done in Europe.
The first piece of work is new (initially I found it here) and presents seat belt safety in a very unique, emotional way. The spot has become globally popular, featured throughout the web.
The second piece of work is not new, but it was new to me. Another unique and emotional spot. Makes you think hard about why a speed limit is set at a certain number.
Seeing these, of course, then reminded me of the much passed around moonwalking bear:
All great stuff. Again, all out of the UK.
I think it's worth noting that the transportation safety creative coming out of the US doesn't seem to have received the same traction as the work coming out of the UK.
Why?
One possible reason could be in all the European adverts above consumers are being shown something while in the US it seems consumers are often being told something.
When we're shown something visually we're more likely to remember it. Neurology refers to this as the pictorial superiority effect, and, as Alex reminds us in this great video, we are 62% more likely to recall ideas that are presented to us visually.
We "tell" a lot in the US. Watch TV tonight and you'll see what I mean.
I think we should all try a little more showing and a little less telling over here... Might make things a little more engaging and a lot more impactful.