2018 Silver Public sector
12 Dec 2018
Agency: 23red and Fully Focused
Client: Network Rail
Campaign name: Always on, so always stay off
Campaign overview
Bringing rail safety to a young audience – on their terms
The brief
Overhead lines along the Midland Main Line are being electrifi ed – but few young people deem the railway to be a dangerous place.
The challenge was to shift this perception by engaging an audience who don’t pay attention to traditional campaigns.
Strategy
The Midland Main Line is being electrified with over 25,000 volts, a change that carries a significantly increased risk to those who trespass on railway lines.
With few young people deeming railways dangerous, the challenge was to shift the perception of the danger from the train to track.
Working with schools near danger hotspots, the campaign gathered a unique insight into how the target audience think and feel.
Together, relevant messages and plotlines were developed as a new way to deliver education, as well as real engagement, by making language, scenarios and relationships relevant and credible.
The result was a short film – delivered on YouTube platform “Million Youth Media” – featured a hard-hitting message that demonstrated the dramatic impact and consequences a shocking accident on the railway can have.
Creativity
Keeping the target-audience at the heart of the production was key to the success of the film. Schools were engaged from the beginning, to ensure they felt ownership of the content and meaning the audience felt more able to share the film.
This built the trust of nervous and reserved pupils, so they felt confident enough to provide insight into risks they and their peer group take near the railways and what storyline would make them take notice of the dangers.
Young people from the workshops were then invited behind the scenes to see the production process. The 30-minute short film was produced by a young crew, and with the target audience spending up to 21 hours a week online, seven hours of which are spent on YouTube, this proved the perfect medium.
Results
Network Rail has a responsibility to ensure safety within the community and, with minimal budgets, they have to ensure that every penny of public money spent is worthwhile.
Ultimately, every life saved by this campaign will provide huge value for Network Rail and the community. This was a highly targeted and relevant campaign providing efficiency and ROI.
In the first three weeks of release the view count hit over one million, with 60% from the target audience. Two months after the release, the views reached over two million.
Unlike traditional media spend, the “Million Youth Media” YouTube channel allowed for instant insights into the young audience’s response to the campaign and for monitoring of the considerable impact on their behaviour.
Over 6,770 viewer comments confirm the film had changed the way they view railway dangers, and made them realise the consequences of taking risks.
Team
23red - Sean Kinmont, Creative Director - Tristan Cavanagh, Deputy Creative Director - Tom Mann, Senior Art Director - Ali Omar, Creative - Marcus Hernon, Client Partner - Sadie Westwood, Business Director - Christopher Doggett, Account Director - Emma Burrows, Account Manager - Ann-Marie Droughton-Hall, Planner - Philippa Dunning, Head of Production - Rachel Rollinson, Creative Services Manager
Fully Focused - Leah Henry, Casting Director - Teddy Nygh, Director - Nicholas Bedu, Producer - Bami Mendy, Director of Photography
Directors Cut - Thaddaios Yianni, Sound Design and Mix
The Mill - Milo Patterson, VFX Supervisor
Network Rail - Stuart Humphreys, Senior Communications Manager