THE PUNISHING SIGNAL

Short List
TitleTHE PUNISHING SIGNAL
BrandMUMBAI POLICE
Product / ServiceTHE PUNISHING SIGNAL
CategoryA05. Brand Strategy & Experience
EntrantFCB INTERFACE Mumbai, INDIA
Idea Creation FCB INTERFACE Mumbai, INDIA
Production FCB INTERFACE Mumbai, INDIA
Additional Company LODESTAR UM Mumbai, INDIA

Credits

Name Company Position
Susan Credle FCB India Global Chief Creative Officer
Fred Levron FCB India Worldwide Creative Partner
Rohit Ohri FCB India Group chairman and CEO
Robby Mathew FCB India Chief Creative Officer
Joemon Thaliath FCB India Chief Executive Officer
Mukesh Jadhav FCB India Senior Creative Director
Rakesh Menon FCB India Senior Creative Director
Shailesh Gupte FCB India Senior Vice President
Sudarshan Karandikar FCB India Account Executive
Omkar Kulkarni FCB India Account Executive
Mukesh Jadhav FCB India Art Director
Mayuresh Vengurlekar FCB India Art Director
Ravi Ananthan FCB India Associate Creative Director
Siddharth Kutty FCB India Copywriter
Dhruv Jha FCB India Media Consultant
Amit Raina FCB India Media Manager
Alpa Jobalia FCB India National Head - Films
Mazhar Khan FCB India Sr. Films Executive
Akshay Nair 30ML Ideas Productions Director
Sukirth Rao 30ML Ideas Productions Film Producer
Archana Sarkar 30ML Ideas Productions Film Producer
Shwetabh Mishra 30ML Ideas Productions Film Producer
Rupesh Gor FCB India Manager - Design
Dipti Ronghe FCB India AV Assistance
Prashant Pawar FCB India co-ordination
Pratik Mhatre FCB India co-ordination
Ahel Maswood FCB India co-ordination
jeeJaiee Thakur FCB India co-ordination
Vishnu Sudarshan FCB India co-ordination
Yogesh bhusare FCB India co-ordination
Purbali Mukherjee FCB India co-ordination
Arushi Phillips FCB India Coporate Communication Manager

Why is this work relevant for Innovation?

The Punishing Signal is a modified signal that was created and installed in Mumbai to stop commuters from indiscriminately honking. The signal timer would reset when reckless honkers pushed noise levels above 85 dB. The punishment- Wait longer as the signal stayed red, until the honking stopped. This simple solution was both, feared offline and celebrated online. Brand Mumbai Police's approval ratings hit an all-time high, noise levels too dropped by 32% a month after installation. The integrated decibel meter that turns regular signals into Punishing Signals was internally developed by Mumbai Police, in collaboration with CMS Systems and BMC.

Background

Mumbai has 1675 vehicles per kilometer. This results in traffic jams and also leads to traffic indiscipline. Like excessive honking. 70% of noise pollution on Mumbai’s roads happen due to indiscriminate honking. This has a disruptive influence on citizens’ physical and mental health. With just 1293 people booked in the last 10 years for reckless honking, the Mumbai Police was looking for a solution that did what fines couldn’t – generate instant results and create maximum awareness.

Describe the idea

Excessive honking was a civic problem that Mumbai Police was grappling with. They tried all the “classic” ways to stop this strain of traffic indiscipline. Now, they did something different to change the behaviour. Quite out of character, they did so with a touch of humour, which they believed to be more effective than the “stick”. Instead of punishing the perps for reckless honking with fines etc., they had the traffic signals do it. If honking decibels crossed 85 dB, the countdown timer at the signal would reset. Making the Red stay longer, and the impatient motorists wait more. While they waited, interactive OOH displays linked to the signal pushed messages LIVE, highlighting their bad behaviour with a wink and a smile. And made them exercise restraint while honking, if they wanted the signal to turn green. While this generated instant results, a video of these signals

What were the key dates in the development process?

Punishing Signal Installation: Between 10th May 2019 and 11th May 2019 in Mumbai (India) Duration: 10th May 2019 to 31st May 2019 Punishing Signal Video Release: 31st January 2020 on Mumbai Police’s official Twitter handle. Campaign Duration: 31st January 2020 to 28th February 2020 On 5th Feb 2020, P Ashok (Mumbai Police) announced on CNN a roll-out in 10 more locations, and then to the entire traffic system. On Feb 1, KTR Rao (Telangana Minister) alongside A Kumar and M Bhagwat (Hyderabad Police) and Deputy Commissioner V Kumar announced in The Times of India a roll-out in their city; identifying Punjagutta, Khairatabad, Jubilee Hills Check Post, RTC X roads, P&P X roads, Gachibowli, Cyber Towers, Kothaguda, Aramgarh, Allwyn X roads, Miyapur X roads, BHEL X roads, LB Nagar & Uppal X roads. Feb 2nds ToI reported B Rao (Police Commissioner) rolling it out in Bengaluru. For Indore, District Collector LK Jatav announced deployment on Feb 15.

Describe the innovation / technology

The Punishing Signal is a modified signal that was created and installed in Mumbai to stop commuters from indiscriminately honking. The signal timer would reset when reckless honkers pushed noise levels above 85 dB. The punishment- Wait longer as the signal stayed red, until the honking stopped. This simple solution was both, feared offline and celebrated online. Brand Mumbai Police's approval ratings hit an all-time high, noise levels too dropped by 32% a month after installation. The integrated decibel meter that turns regular signals into Punishing Signals was internally developed by Mumbai Police, in collaboration with CMS Systems and BMC.

Describe the expectations / outcome

The Punishing Signal was implemented in 5 signals in Mumbai city. On 5th Feb 2020, Pranay Ashok (Mumbai Police) announced on CNN that it’ll be implemented in 10 more locations in Mumbai, and then roll it out to the entire traffic system. On 1st Feb 2020, KT Rama Rao, Telangana State Minister along with Anjani Kumar, Hyderabad Police Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner Vijay Kumar and Commissioner Mahesh Bhagwat announced in The Times of India (ToI) deployment in their city; identifying Punjagutta, Khairatabad, Jubilee Hills Check Post, RTC X roads, Paradise & Patny X roads, Gachibowli, Cyber Towers, Kothaguda, Aramgarh, Allwyn X roads, Miyapur X roads, BHEL X roads, LB Nagar and Uppal X roads. ToI reported on 2nd Feb 2020 that Bhaskar Rao, Bengaluru City Police Commissioner, will implement it to bring discipline to Bengaluru city’s roads. For Indore to get the “Silent City” tag, District Collector announced approval on TOI.

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