Re:act

Australian creative agency Hard Edge launched the Re:act project in 2016 to facilitate peer-to-peer road safety awareness and education. Communication and design students respond to a brief each year to create campaigns to raise awareness and change the behaviour of 16–25-year-olds on road. The London strand of the programme is supported by the FIA Foundation, Transport for London, Ocean Outdoor and Zurich Insurance, with a representative from each organisation sitting on the judging panel.

Over the years, London College of Communcation (LCC) students from the BA (Hons) Graphic Branding & Identity, BA (Hons) Graphic and Media Design and BA (Hons) Public Relations have responded to themes like ‘distractions’, ‘vulnerable road users and drivers’ and ‘reducing the high incidence of motorcycle casualties among young road users’. They have devised innovative campaigns using typography, illustration, graphic design and photography to communicate the message effectively.

LCC student Reana Kerai’s campaign, #EyesUpPhonesDown was selected as the winner in 2020. The campaign uses clever messaging and animation to encourage young people to look up from their screens when they cross the road. The campaign assets were displayed on retail and roadside billboards in White City, London.

'We are all fragile under our shells' road safety campaign by LCC student Agota Rencsenyi from BA (Hons) Graphic Branding and Identity was selected as the winner in 2021. The campaign used lighthearted images of prawns, crabs and their snail friends to deliver the message: everyone on the road — drivers, passengers, motorcyclists, pedestrians and bicyclists — should be considerate of others and share the responsibility for safety. LCC students Chiara Squillace Jaeger and Anushka Ansal were named as the runners up that year. Agota’s campaign was displayed on over 50 prominent retail and roadside billboards across London and was also covered by many leading publications including Forbes.

‘Be Bright and Stay In Sight’, created by BA (Hons) Graphic Branding and Identity student Beatriz Coelho was selected as the 2022 winner which aimed to raise awareness among motorcyclists to wear bright clothing and position their motorbikes so they can be easily seen while encouraging other road users to also watch for motorcyclists. The campaign targeted young motorcyclists who are disproportionally injured on London’s roads and was expected to be seen by over 5 million road users across London on the retail and roadside billboards.