Rhino is named Australia's best

Spike the Rhino has won national acclaim in this year's Avant Card Postcard of the Year awards.

Our pop-up Beware The Rhino card was the first monthly winner of the year, and Spike held firm in the face of challenges from 11 other nominess including the Sydney Opera House, City of Fremantle, Bell Shakespeare and RSPCA NSW to bring the gold back to Melbourne.

The award is judged by the Creative Directors of ten leading advertising agencies across Australia.

The Beware The Rhino campaign was created by Yarra Trams to encourage pedestrians to look, listen and be alert around trams - which can weigh as much as 30 rhinos. Designed by Helsinki Agency, the image of the skateboarding rhino has become a familiar sight around the tram network and the safety message is as relevant as it was when launched in May 2011.

Yarra Trams Marketing Manager Matt McDonell said: "Melbourne has really embraced the Rhino!  The simplicity of the message and design stood out in so many mediums, including Avant Card. Six months after the campaign ran, we are still getting 80% message recall."

Congratulations to everyone involved in the award. The second phase of the Beware The Rhino campaign will launch in coming months and is aimed at tackling car to tram accidents.

Before the postcards came the cinema advertisement, as well as a specially designed tram, shelter advertising and on-site promotions at universities and shopping centres.

You can show your support for tram safety by liking the Beware The Rhino page on Facebook, and by always looking, listening and being aware when walking or driving around trams.