The Campaign

Research shows something needs to have changed within a familiar environment for people to consciously engage with it. The Conscious Crossing was created to constantly alter the environment around railway level crossings. An interactive, cost-effective series of moveable gates, it constantly changes to make the familiar, unfamiliar. Engaging pedestrians’ brains and switching them from autopilot to alert for danger, right at the moment of risk. Designed with human nature in mind, anyone can easily alter the gates into any layout, anytime – empowering people to take an active role in keeping fellow pedestrians safe, creating an ongoing cycle of safety. The system is produced for only NZD$7,800 per unit (plus site-specific installation costs). With eight distinct positions for each of the ten barrier arms leading to 45,239,040 unique configurations, it’s a simple way to keep the crossing environment fresh, for a fraction of the cost of other warning systems.

Creative Execution

The Conscious Crossing is a safety system that literally changes user behaviour as they move through it. In contrast to conventional fixed barriers systems, its layout continually changes to make the familiar environment unfamiliar – creating a multitude of ways to approach the tracks at a single crossing. Unlike other warning infrastructure which can be expensive, time-intensive to install and require power to operate, it can be easily and cost-effectively installed, without reliance on power to function. Made from similar materials to traditional barriers, it’s just as strong, yet light enough to be altered by anyone. Designed with human nature in mind, anybody can change it into any layout, any time – creating an ongoing cycle of safety between pedestrians. A cost-effective, tangible, real-world solution, The Conscious Crossing is a system that can easily be rolled out across all other crossings in New Zealand and around the world.

Describe the success of the promotion with both client and consumer including some quantifiable results

Through observation during initial trials, The Conscious Crossing has proven to directly and positively affect pedestrian behaviour. Following its success, it is currently being pushed through more extensive testing by the New Zealand Transport Agency (the national body that implements nationwide transport solutions), with the aim of implementing it at all 122 of the other similar crossings throughout New Zealand. A roll-out that could positively impact the daily routines of the tens of thousands of pedestrians who use such crossings every day – and an ongoing, tangible demonstration of KiwiRail’s commitment to rail safety. Easy to install and cost-effective to produce, The Conscious Crossing has the wide-reaching potential to provide a simple, long-term solution to help keep pedestrians safer at railway level crossings throughout the world.

Explain why the method of promotion was most relevant to the product or service

The Conscious Crossing is more than a safety system for railway level crossings. It’s an installation that actively changes user behaviour as they move through it, prompting a direct response from our audience as they engage with it. The constantly changing layout forces pedestrians to engage their brains and become consciously aware of the present dangers when approaching the tracks. Changing their behaviour right at the moment of risk. The public are also empowered to change the layout as they wish, letting them play an active role in helping keep fellow pedestrians safe, and creating an ongoing cycle of safety.

As New Zealand’s national rail network, KiwiRail has long advocated for safety around trains and railway lines. Expensive warning systems can’t always be installed at the 122 railway level crossings throughout New Zealand. So it’s often left up to pedestrians themselves to check for trains before crossing. KiwiRail identified that regular pedestrians of these crossings have a tendency to neglect checking for risks, due to over-familiarity with the environment. It was these tens of thousands of pedestrians that KiwiRail wanted to target, to prevent from putting themselves in harm’s way. Research shows that something needs to have changed within a familiar environment for people to consciously engage with it. Our strategic approach was therefore to create a cost-effective new way to constantly keep the environment around railway level crossings fresh and unfamiliar. Something that actively engaged pedestrians’ minds and solved the problem of inattentiveness, in the moments before crossing.