Zuno General Insurance has relaunched its road safety initiative with ‘Talking Zebra Returns’, aligning the campaign with Road Safety Awareness Month and regulatory encouragement from MoRTH and IRDAI. The activation thanks commuters who follow traffic rules, positioning compliance as visible and aspirational behaviour.
Rolled out across high-footfall traffic signals in eight cities, including Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore, the campaign uses a recognisable zebra crossing character to engage motorists and pedestrians. Unlike traditional safety campaigns that focus on violations, this iteration acknowledges responsible behaviour.
The initiative builds on Zuno’s broader SmartDrive platform and the ‘Good Drivers Choose Zuno’ campaign, reinforcing the insurer’s association with safe driving. A mime artist accompanies the Talking Zebra, visually enacting behaviours such as stopping before the zebra line and wearing helmets, turning routine actions into moments of recognition.
Shanai Ghosh, MD and CEO of Zuno General Insurance, said the campaign reflects the brand’s belief in positive reinforcement as a behavioural nudge. She linked the activation to Zuno’s telematics-led SmartDrive motor insurance, which rewards safe drivers and features crash-detection capabilities.
The campaign is supported by radio partnerships and social media amplification, extending its reach beyond traffic signals. For marketers, the activation highlights how insurers can use physical spaces to build emotional relevance in a low-engagement category.
India’s road safety context adds urgency to the messaging. According to the Road Accidents in India Report 2022, the country recorded 4,61,312 crashes and 1,68,491 fatalities. The TRIP Centre’s 2024 report further underscores the widening gap between India and global road safety benchmarks.
Ketan Mankikar, head marketing and communications at Zuno General Insurance, described Talking Zebra as a long-term platform rather than a one-off campaign. By making good driving visible, the brand aims to normalise responsible behaviour. The campaign demonstrates how brands can use humour and recognition to influence public behaviour while reinforcing product credibility.
