German Government Spends $450,000 On A Bold Cycling Safety Campaign, But Not Everyone Likes It – Design You Trust

German Government Spends $450,000 On A Bold Cycling Safety Campaign, But Not Everyone Likes It

$450,000. That’s how much the German transport ministry is reported to have spent on a bold cycling safety campaign. The ads from the country’s transport ministry carry the slogan “Looks like shit. But saves my life.” One of the biggest names in the advert is Alicija Köhler, a competitor in the gameshow Germany’s Next Topmodel. Like the other models, she’s wearing only a colored helmet and a lacy bra. And that is the main reason why some have been criticizing the entire campaign.

More: BMVI h/t: boredpanda

“It is embarrassing, stupid and sexist for the transport minister to be selling his policies using naked skin,” Maria Noichl, an MEP and the chairwoman of Germany’s Social Democrats women’s wing, told Bild am Sonntag. The family minister, Franziska Giffey, joined her in saying a few harsh words about the transport minister, Andreas Scheuer, of the conservative CSU party. She posted a picture of herself rocking a business suit and a helmet while riding her bicycle, writing: “Dear Andreas Scheuer: fully dressed also goes well with a helmet!”

Defending the campaign, a transport ministry spokesman said: “A successful road safety campaign should jolt people and can be polarising.” And while the images were going viral on social media, they sparked at least a few discussions including sexism and cycling. Andreas Scheuer, Germany’s transport minister, said the campaign is meant to counter the notion that helmets are unattractive—something studies have cited as one reason why young people don’t wear them while riding. Also, people are saying that the campaign fails the definition of sexism because it features a diverse group of models of both sexes.

According to the Transport Ministry, the posters will line bicycle paths in major German cities and will cost about 400,000 euros, or about $450,000. However, injuries to cyclists have become a problem in Germany. In 2018, 432 cyclists died in accidents, according to ADAC, a German automobile association. That’s 50 more than the year before. Cyclists aren’t required to wear a helmet in Germany — 40 percent of riders under age 30 do not even own one, and only 8 percent of riders aged 17 to 30 wear one, according to a poll commissioned by the Transport Ministry.





If you want more awesome content, subscribe to 'Oh, Design You Trust,' our brand new Facebook page! Trust me, you won't be disappointed.

More Inspiring Stories

Avatars for Ukraine: Top Digital Ukrainian Artists Adopt NFTs to Help Ukraine
Artist Uses Right Hand to Turn Her Left hand Into Optical Illusions
Stunning Examples Of “Crown Shyness”, A Phenomenon Where Trees Avoid Touching
Transcending Boundaries with Brush and Imagination: The Whimsical Yet Sophisticated Artistic Expression of Berat Pekmezci
Sad, True And Hilarious Revelations About Real Life
Illustrator Pascal Blanché Is Building A Stunning Sci-Fi Universe
Saddened By The Empty Streets Of Budapest During Lockdown, This Artist Filled The City With People From Classical Paintings
20 Powerful Pieces Of Street Art That’ll Make Your Heart Beat Faster
Vulgar, Funny, and Avant-Garde: The Crazy Covers of Toiletpaper Magazine
These Animal Illustrations Accurately Express Our Monday Blues And Friday Feels
Shower To The People! Generous Man Turns Old Truck Into Mobile Shower For The Homeless
"Phenomenology Of Human Body": New Media Artist Rinatto L-bank Creates Stunning Digital Bodyscape Transformations
Building-Sized Street Art Portraits by Natalia Rak
Chic And Sexy Pre-Revolution Fashions Of Iran
The More You Connect, The Less You Connect
Mosaic Frescoes at Kievskaya Metro Station in Moscow Are Wearing Face Masks and Remind Us About Safety
This Cambodian Artist Is Taking Doodling To Another Level
The Brunette Sticker by Frenchstickers
Rare Photos Of Germany Before It Was Destroyed By War
Overdrive Magazine: Voice Of The American Trucker In The 1970s
This Artist Uses Natural Landscapes to Color in Cutout Silhouettes of Animals
Artist Transforms Herself Into Different Characters Using Only Makeup
Amazing Face Paintings By Jordan Hanz
This Artist Illustrated Her Everyday Problems With Relatable Comics