The stakes keep rising in the competition to attract people’s attention online. Agencies around the world continue to release videos featuring (supposedly) unsuspecting people reacting to elaborately orchestrated pranks.

In this example created by Publicis for MINI Mexico, they hope to raise awareness of the danger of distracted drivers, particularly among women who apply makeup while driving. Women who stopped to freshen their makeup, screamed in shock when an airbag exploded out of the specially rigged soap dispenser.

The clip attempts to make a tenuous connection between data like “6 out of 10 women wouldn’t dream of going to work without makeup” and “1 out of 4 believe that not wearing makeup could cost them a promotion” to make the conclusion that that is why some women apply makeup while driving. Or maybe it’s not such a far-fetched thought, as a 2009 UK study found that more than 1 in 5 women drivers admitted to having applied cosmetics while driving.

[via Design Taxi]