LIVE TO TELL THE TALE: NSW MARITIME SAFETY CAMPAIGN SWAPS SCARE TACTICS FOR LEGENDARY SEA YARNS

Transport for NSW has launched Live to Tell the Tale, a new maritime safety campaign created by Droga5 ANZ that celebrates adventure on the water through larger-than-life sea stories. Featuring a giant squid, a ghost ship and a monster fish, the campaign promotes a simple message: safety ensures every tale gets told.

From giant squid battles to ghostly encounters at sea, a new maritime safety campaign from Transport for NSW is proving that the best stories about life on the water are the ones that end with a safe return to shore.

Launched across Australia on 12 November 2026, Live to Tell the Tale has been created by Droga5 ANZ, part of Accenture Song, and takes a refreshing approach to public safety messaging. Rather than relying on fear-based warnings, the campaign taps into the rich tradition of maritime storytelling, celebrating the adventures, characters and tall tales that emerge from time spent on the waterways of New South Wales.

The campaign centres on three cinematic films directed by Leilani Croucher of production company Revolver. Each brings to life an unforgettable yarn inspired by the kinds of stories boaties, fishers and watercraft users have been telling for generations.

In one film, a weathered sailor recounts an epic struggle with a kraken-like giant squid. In another, a jet ski rider describes a mysterious ghost ship encounter that ultimately sees him return safely to shore by travelling at an appropriate speed. A third story follows a First Nations Elder reflecting on the enormous fish that almost got away while out on Country.

While the details may be exaggerated in the tradition of every good sea tale, the underlying message remains grounded in reality. Every adventure, no matter how extraordinary, depends on one crucial outcome: making it home safely to tell the story.

The storytelling approach extends well beyond film. Outdoor advertising pairs the campaign’s colourful narrators with dramatic visual reconstructions of their adventures, drawing inspiration from the distinctive imagery and memorabilia of maritime culture. Meanwhile, radio executions place listeners at the heart of the action through immersive sound design that recreates the sights and sounds of the open water.

The campaign was also developed with inclusivity in mind. The First Nations story was created in partnership with First Nations-led consultancy YarnnUp, while additional tailored executions for First Nations audiences and priority culturally and linguistically diverse communities are set to follow.

According to Kezia Quinn, Principal Director at Droga5 ANZ, the campaign seeks to preserve what people love most about being on the water rather than focusing solely on the risks.

“Instead of leveraging fear or employing finger waving messaging, we wanted to lean into the positive,” Quinn said. “Life on the water is adventure and excitement, and that’s what we want to preserve as much as the safety of it. Leilani and team did a brilliant job at creating this feeling on camera across three distinct tales.”

Nicole Watts, Executive Director of NSW Maritime at Transport for NSW, said the campaign acknowledges both the appeal and the responsibility of spending time on the water.

“Part of what people love about being on the water is the freedom, the adventure and the excitement,” Watts said. “But to keep enjoying it, we need to respect the dangers, too. Because every great maritime story needs one thing above all else: someone who makes it back to tell the tale.”

Running across film, radio, outdoor, digital and social platforms, Live to Tell the Tale aims to remind Australians that the greatest maritime adventures do not begin with risk-taking. They begin with preparation, caution and respect for the water, ensuring the storyteller is around long enough to share the legend.