Stop Suicide through Marketing: Samsung Life’s “ Bridge of Life” Campaign

couple walking on the “Bridge of Life”; the LED panel reads “Are you worried about something?” 

It’s common topic among Koreans that Korea’s suicidal rate ranks highest among all countries, specifically 1st among OECD nations. Falling off a bridge is also a common method of suicide. Samsung Life’s (Life insurance company under Samsung) “Bridge of Life” campaign is a CSR campaign in partnership with Seoul City that tries to prevent future suicides. It also exemplifies the profound impact of CSR on marketing and branding.

INSIGHT

• Korea ranks 1st among all OECD nations for highest number of suicides
• 17% of the suicide takes place on Mapo Bridge (one of the bridge that goes across Han River)

GOAL
Create a campaign that stops suicide from a fundamental/emotional level [as oppose to technical ways such as installing more CCTV, making the bridge less accessible to pedestrians etc.]

METHOD

• Through extensive interviews and research into suicide psychology, developed a list of phrases that allows readers to reconsider their thoughts of suicide
• Used high-tech senor system and 2,200 LED light panels to cover 2.2 km of the bridge. With every step one takes on the bridge, a LED light panel switches on, along with a message.
• Youtube Video to document how this campaign came to be
  
  “It would be great if even one life can be saved”
• Art installation with the message “You are not alone,” and SOS Phone service installed on bridge

SOS Phone Booth with buttons that call 119 (911 in Korea) and a suicide hot-line

Photos of “good things in life.” There are also photos of animals and such.

“Aren’t you craving them?” (right after the series of photos of food)

“If you live, one day you will~,” part of a lyric of a popular song in Korea that speaks about hope.

“Although I’m not perfect”

Art Installation

This campaign ended up winning four marketing awards and also re-created a depressing, gloomy bridge into a colorful, heart-felt attraction. Hopefully, people that come to Mapo Bridge with thoughts of ending their lives will find hope from these uplifting messages, turn their steps, and go back to their families.

You can visit their campaign site to have a virtual tour of the bridge!
Press the triangular play button on the right to start walking on the bridge.

READ  5 Game-changing Korean Marketing Campaigns of 2012 !