How to Drive a Roundabout

The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) partnered with Colormatics to educate the public about newly introduced roundabouts across the state. Many Montana drivers were unfamiliar with them and skeptical of their safety and purpose, so MDT needed a campaign that could shift perception and clearly explain how to navigate roundabouts correctly.

Challenge

Roundabouts were being rolled out in communities where they were often seen as “big city infrastructure” and met with resistance, especially in more rural areas. The challenge wasn’t just teaching people how to use them—it was overcoming negative perception, improving comfort, and communicating that roundabouts actually improve safety and traffic flow compared to traditional intersections.

Solution

Colormatics, working with Big Sky Public Relations, created a highly creative educational video series that avoided the typical “boring driver’s ed” tone. Instead of drone footage and standard instruction, they built a miniature model-town set inspired by a childhood train layout and used toy cars to demonstrate real driving scenarios. This playful, visual storytelling approach made the concept approachable and memorable while still clearly walking viewers through how to enter, navigate, and exit a roundabout safely.

Results

The campaign successfully reframed roundabouts in a more positive and accessible way for Montana drivers. It improved understanding of how to use them and helped shift public perception toward seeing roundabouts as a safety improvement rather than an inconvenience. The work was also recognized creatively, winning a Gold American Advertising Award, highlighting its effectiveness in turning a technical public safety message into engaging storytelling.

"They do a great job boiling down technical content into an accessible, entertaining, interesting way that the average person can appreciate and enjoy."