Media: Strategy Analysis - Met reveals real side of knife crime.(Metropolitan Police Service)(MediaCom)

 
Brand: Metropolitan Police Service 
Client: Metropolitan Police Service 
Brief: Raise awareness about the dangers of carrying a knife as well as 
encourage the reporting of knife crimes 
Target audience: Eleven- to 18-year-olds within London, focusing 
particularly on the younger end of this age group 
Budget: pounds 80,000 
 
AGENCIES 
Media: MediaCom 
Creative: Miles Calcraft Briginshaw Duffy 
Web design: Metropolitan Police Service 
Radio: Kiss FM, Choice FM 
Leaflets: Miles Calcraft Briginshaw Duffy 

Sixteen thousand knife crimes were committed in London during a 12-month period in 2003 and 2004. Concerned by this statistic and the number of young people carrying knives, the Metropolitan Police launched Operation Blunt in late 2004 to tackle the problem. Blunt's strategy was to use a combination of education, enforcement and partnership activity to reduce knife crime.

Research and anecdotal evidence showed many teenagers think carrying a knife is no big deal, which may in part be explained by the fact that there is no minimum sentence for knife possession.

The Met wanted to address this complacency and challenge the belief that a knife can protect you. The December 2005 campaign informed young Londoners of the consequences of carrying a knife and asked those with knife crime information to phone Crimestoppers.

To succeed on such a limited budget - pounds 80,000, including production - the campaign had to infiltrate young peer groups and ignite word of mouth to achieve awareness.

EXECUTION

- Creative: A mock computer game called Knife City was created on DVD. At first sight, it appears to be a demo for a violent video game, complete with a realistic cover, gritty graphics and pounding music. However, as the lead character stabs his victim, the action cuts from animation to real footage, which shows the assailant in police custody. The demo ends with the strapline: 'Carrying a knife. It's not a game.' Testimonials from real victims, their families and surgeons were included in an extras feature on the DVD.