BRIDGE OF LIFE

Bronze Spike

Case Film

Presentation Board

TitleBRIDGE OF LIFE
BrandSAMSUNG LIFE INSURANCE
Product / ServiceSAMSUNG LIFE INSURANCE
CategoryA09. Environmental Design
EntrantCHEIL WORLDWIDE Seoul, SOUTH KOREA
Entrant Company CHEIL WORLDWIDE Seoul, SOUTH KOREA
Advertising Agency CHEIL WORLDWIDE Seoul, SOUTH KOREA

Credits

Name Company Position
Jaechul Lee Giringreem Director
Youchan Shin Producer
Dukwon Jang Producer
Myeongjoon Joo Ex Creative Technical Designer
Taejin Kang Ex Creative Technical Designer
Chang-Hwa Yeo Ex Creative Technical Director
Inyoung Lee Cheil Worldwide Account Executive
Kyungtae Kim Cheil Worldwide Account Executive
Jungho Park Cheil Worldwide Account Director
Jieun Park Cheil Worldwide Copywriter
Yongkyu Choi Cheil Worldwide Copywriter
Yukyung Joo Cheil Worldwide Copywriter
Youngjun Kim Cheil Worldwide Copywriter
Jiyeon Choi Cheil Worldwide Art Director
Minjoo Kim Cheil Worldwide Art Director
Jaeyeon Kim Cheil Worldwide Art Director
Hyungkyun Oh Cheil Worldwide Art Director
Joohoon Lee Cheil Worldwide Creative Director
Jeongkeun Yoo Cheil Worldwide Chief Creative Officer

Brief Explanation

Our idea to stop and prevent the suicides on the Mapo Bridge was not installing a physical device to hinder the suicides, but to create an interactive bridge that would change the people’s minds through communication and a human touch. Our intention was to have the pedestrians keep reading the messages that were shown throughout the 2.2km of the Mapo Bridge through the ‘Bridge of Life’ installation, and eventually walk all the way to the other end without realizing it.

The Brief

Suicides are especially frequent near the bridges over the Han River in Seoul. And among the 23 bridges, the ‘Mapo Bridge’ has the highest number of suicides. (Out of the 1090 suicides committed on a Han River bridge, 17.2% - or 188 suicides - happened on the Mapo Bridge) The brand slogan of Samsung Life Insurance, the #1 insurance company in Korea, is ‘People, Love’. Could there be any greater love than saving a person’s life?

How the final design was conceived

First, we installed sensors on the guardrails, so that when people walked by, lights turned on according to their movements. On the lighted rails appeared short messages, making it seem as if the bridge was speaking to the passers-by. The 20 or so messages that were shown were not warnings or teachings, but rather kind words, comforting song lyrics, funny jokes, and other phrases that would speak to the anxious and confused minds of those attempting to end their lives.

Indication of how successful the outcome was in the market

Since the opening of the Bridge of Life on Sep 26th, 2012, until today (Dec 20th, 2012), the suicide rate has dropped by 77%. The Bridge of Life has received widespread national coverage on TV and in newspapers with 177 reports, as well as global coverage in 8 different media (Reuters, Voice of America, China TV The Tokyo Times, etc.). About 11,000 posts about the Mapo Bridge have been shared on social networks, of which 92% are positive, and the brand image of Samsung Life Insurance has improved by 110%.