Safety measures up in the air

Part of insurance firm Zurich's Because Change Happenz campaign, the ad shows a worker losing his balance and then falling several metres to what must surely be a sticky end, or serious injury at least. But mid-flight, airbags built into his lifejacket inflate and provide him with a cushioned, safe landing.

"Health and safety is a real issue for our construction clients and with falls from height still a major cause of death we wanted to pose the question, 'How can the industry improve standards and reputations?'" said Fiona Nicol, Zurich's UK marketing communications director.

So why set the scene around billboard posting rather than something more directly relevant, like scaffolders? Nicol says that would be in poor taste. "We're not trying to scare people. We wanted a light-hearted tone and thought a construction worker falling would be too dramatic."

Nicol reveals that Zurich has received several enquiries about where the fictional airbags could be bought. However, comparable devices are already in use. Japanese construction giant Kajima has produced an inflatable vest of its own and technology firm iVoice has filed a patent for a similar product.