Cycling is a hobby of millions of people around the world and those who prefer a ride during late hours of the day are vulnerable to accidents largely because of dim lighting conditions. Swedish car manufacturer Volvo has a solution though! Partnering with UK design firm Grey London and Albedo100, they have come up with a reflective spray-paint that makes cycling a lot safer at night.
The LifePaint, which is technically not paint, is a washable material that lasts about 10 days after application and is completely invisible until it’s hit by the glare of a car’s headlights after which it glows.
Nick Connor, managing director at Volvo, said in a statement that every year more than 19,000 cyclists are injured on the UK’s roads, adding that at Volvo, they believe that the best way to survive a crash is not to crash and are committed to making the roads a safer place by reducing the number of accidents.
Though designed for safer cycling, LifePaint can be applied to any fabric?—?clothes, shoes, pushchairs, children’s backpacks?—?even dog leads and collars. It is transparent, washes off and will not affect the colour or surface of your chosen material, lasting for approximately one week after application.
Currently it is available in six cycling shops in Kent and London, and if it does well, Volvo may move the product internationally.
“Our job isn’t just to advertise our clients,” said Nils Leonard, chairman and CCO of Grey London, “it’s to help them make a positive impact on culture. With the creation of LifePaint, we’ve turned Volvo safety inside out, giving it away to the most vulnerable road users. What more positive action can a brand take than to try to save lives?”
To promote the product and showcase its properties, Grey London has created an online film featuring interviews with a wide range of cyclists, from commuters, to couriers to accident survivors. Introducing LifePaint with a dramatic demonstration of the product in action, the agency spent three nights shooting in London, testing the spray and working out how to rig lights to mirror the effects of headlights.
