Make safety engaging – with creative design
23.4.2025
Are you curious which one of our many works is the one most widely viewed? It’s something that’s on constant display, worldwide, seen by thousands every day: the onboard safety film and card we created for our national airline.
Safety is everywhere, from worksites to public transport to hygiene guidance, offering surprising opportunities for design and creativity. Serious as the topic is, safety projects are often some of the most exciting to work on.
Safety meets creativity
Industries are increasingly recognizing the power of creative safety communication. Safety is treated not just as a necessity, but also as an opportunity for engaging brand storytelling.
Many airlines, in particular, have elevated their approach. Inflight safety videos have evolved into a blend of instruction, narrative, and visual artistry. British Airways’ period literature-inspired spectacle and Air India’s safety guidance delivered through traditional Indian dance gestures show how safety messaging can be both informative and entertaining.
Illustrator Andrew Hudson’s recent campaign for Transport for London reimagines traditional safety posters with bold, immersive 3D typography and modernist graphic illustration. They’re not just safety posters; they’re striking pieces of art I’d gladly hang on my own wall.
Music also plays a role in safety communication. Valio Oltermanni’s Adult’s Traffic Safety Song, ideated by SEK, took a classic, widely known traffic safety song aimed at children and recreated it in a modern version that speaks to the crowd who actually should bear the primary responsibility of road safety: the adults behind the wheel. Essential road safety lessons were conveyed with a catchy tune, showing that even life-or-death messages can be engaging and memorable.
Nudging theory – a different approach to safety guidance
Instructions have greater impact when they cause us to stop and think.
While working on a recent industrial site safety project, we were introduced to safety nudging theory – a behavioral design approach that subtly encourages people to make safer choices. By using visual cues, messaging, or environmental design, safety nudging increases awareness and promotes risk-conscious behavior in a natural and intuitive way. The key psychological reason behind this is reactance; people tend to resist direct commands that feel like a threat to their freedom. Nudging works better by subtly guiding choices in a way that feels voluntary, not forced.
A brilliant example of this approach came from our client, who encountered a cleverly placed message inside a restroom hand paper dispenser: “Maybe one is enough?”– a small nudge that makes people reconsider their choices.
Inspired by this, our team saw the power of smart copywriting to capture attention in busy industrial environments. In addition to designing info boards with standard safety symbols, we crafted thought-provoking messages that encouraged individuals to make safer decisions willingly.
Taking a risk, for safety’s sake
At their best, safety projects offer a dream opportunity for creatives to blend storytelling, aesthetics, and systems thinking, transforming mundane information into something clear and compelling.
If creativity and safety work so well together, where else could this approach be applied? While designing safety guidelines for a factory setting, I noticed the focus was almost entirely on physical safety. But what about environments where the main risks are cognitive? In knowledge-based work, the greatest hazards may be mental strain and overload.
Could nudging techniques or other creative strategies support focus, mental clarity, and overall mind health in the workplace? I believe there's real potential for creative interventions in this space.
Interestingly, safety is one of those areas where unexpected communication often works best. Keeping people out of danger sometimes means taking a bit of creative risk.
Safety is everywhere, from worksites to public transport to hygiene guidance, offering surprising opportunities for design and creativity. Serious as the topic is, safety projects are often some of the most exciting to work on.
Safety meets creativity
Industries are increasingly recognizing the power of creative safety communication. Safety is treated not just as a necessity, but also as an opportunity for engaging brand storytelling.
Many airlines, in particular, have elevated their approach. Inflight safety videos have evolved into a blend of instruction, narrative, and visual artistry. British Airways’ period literature-inspired spectacle and Air India’s safety guidance delivered through traditional Indian dance gestures show how safety messaging can be both informative and entertaining.
Illustrator Andrew Hudson’s recent campaign for Transport for London reimagines traditional safety posters with bold, immersive 3D typography and modernist graphic illustration. They’re not just safety posters; they’re striking pieces of art I’d gladly hang on my own wall.
Music also plays a role in safety communication. Valio Oltermanni’s Adult’s Traffic Safety Song, ideated by SEK, took a classic, widely known traffic safety song aimed at children and recreated it in a modern version that speaks to the crowd who actually should bear the primary responsibility of road safety: the adults behind the wheel. Essential road safety lessons were conveyed with a catchy tune, showing that even life-or-death messages can be engaging and memorable.
Nudging theory – a different approach to safety guidance
Instructions have greater impact when they cause us to stop and think.
While working on a recent industrial site safety project, we were introduced to safety nudging theory – a behavioral design approach that subtly encourages people to make safer choices. By using visual cues, messaging, or environmental design, safety nudging increases awareness and promotes risk-conscious behavior in a natural and intuitive way. The key psychological reason behind this is reactance; people tend to resist direct commands that feel like a threat to their freedom. Nudging works better by subtly guiding choices in a way that feels voluntary, not forced.
A brilliant example of this approach came from our client, who encountered a cleverly placed message inside a restroom hand paper dispenser: “Maybe one is enough?”– a small nudge that makes people reconsider their choices.
Inspired by this, our team saw the power of smart copywriting to capture attention in busy industrial environments. In addition to designing info boards with standard safety symbols, we crafted thought-provoking messages that encouraged individuals to make safer decisions willingly.
Taking a risk, for safety’s sake
At their best, safety projects offer a dream opportunity for creatives to blend storytelling, aesthetics, and systems thinking, transforming mundane information into something clear and compelling.
If creativity and safety work so well together, where else could this approach be applied? While designing safety guidelines for a factory setting, I noticed the focus was almost entirely on physical safety. But what about environments where the main risks are cognitive? In knowledge-based work, the greatest hazards may be mental strain and overload.
Could nudging techniques or other creative strategies support focus, mental clarity, and overall mind health in the workplace? I believe there's real potential for creative interventions in this space.
Interestingly, safety is one of those areas where unexpected communication often works best. Keeping people out of danger sometimes means taking a bit of creative risk.
Jaa
Creative Brand House