TBWA\MCR has launched a hard-hitting poster campaign highlighting how the cuts in youth services has contributed to the surge in knife crime.
Created to drive awareness and to raise funds for lobbying and support group Fighting Knife Crime London, the creative has honed-in on the insight that ‘more cuts lead to more cuts’.
The OOH campaign has three variations, each with an extreme close-up of the face of a young person depicted as a victim of knife crime plus a strapline highlighting an area of youth services funding that has been cut.
Each poster has a call to action: ‘Underfunding leads to knife crime. Help save lives. Donate here’ and a QR code where people can donate to support the work of Fighting Knife Crime London.
Retired judge Bruce Houlder, the founder of Fighting Knife Crime London, said: “It has never been more important for communities to come together, to cut knife crime from our streets, and return hope through the power of genuine collaboration.
“This powerful poster campaign is the brainchild of TBWA\MCR. Fighting Knife Crime London is honoured to join with them to bring the widest range of information resources and guidance to all who want or may need help.”
Lisa Nichols, Executive Creative Director, TBWA\MCR, said: “A shocking decline in government spending on local policing, youth services, youth clubs, after school activities, and reduced mental health support, has all impacted the rise in knife crime numbers.
“Our aim with this campaign is to show that this decline has a very real human cost. We wanted to put a face to the statistics. We are proud to have produced this work for an organisation like Fighting Knife Crime, who work hard to reduce knife crime in the UK to stop young people becoming a fatal statistic.”
The OOH campaign runs on 48 sites in and around London from October 23rd and will be supported on social channels.
The images are by David Boni Photography and media was planned by Build Hollywood.
Credits
Title/Project - Cuts
Brief - Underfunding leads to knife crime
Agency - TBWA\MCR
Agency contact - Lisa Nichols
Agency contact job title - Executive Creative Director
Client name - Bruce Houlder
Client job title - Project Founder, Fighting Knife Crime London
Copywriter - Lisa Nichols
Art director - Gary Fawcett
Planner - Lorna Hawtin
Designer - Daniel Bickerton
Photographer - David Boni
Editor - Rose Alder
Producer - John Allen
Media planner - Isobel Deevy
Media agency - Build Hollywood
About TBWA\MCR
TBWA\MCR is an affiliate within the TBWA\Worldwide global collective. Clients include David Lloyd Clubs, Merlin Entertainments Group (Alton Towers Resort, Thorpe Park, Gardaland Italy, Heide Park Germany), Appreciate Group (Love2shop and Park Savings), Soreen, LEGOLAND Resorts, BPP University, Cotton Traders, bp, Citation and Beaverbrooks.
About TBWA\Worldwide
TBWA is The Disruption® Company. We use creativity to help businesses challenge the status quo and capture an unfair share of the future. Named one of the World's Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company in 2022, 2021, 2020 and 2019, Adweek's 2022, 2021 and 2018 Global Agency of the Year and AdAge’s A-List 2022 Network of the Year. We are a disruptive brand experience company that uses trademarked Disruption® methodologies to help businesses address their challenges and achieve transformative growth. Our collective has 11,000+ creative minds in over 40 countries, and also includes brands such as Auditoire, Digital Arts Network (DAN), eg+ worldwide, GMR, The Integer Group®, TBWA\Media Arts Lab, TBWA\WorldHealth and TRO. Global clients include adidas, Apple, Gatorade, Henkel, Hilton Hotels, McDonald's, Nissan and Singapore Airlines. Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram. TBWA is part of Omnicom Group (NYSE: OMC).
Fighting Knife Crime London
FKCL was launched in 2021 by Bruce Houlder KC and is now the go-to information resource for young Londoners and all those who care for them. Young people are our future, and we want them to thrive. www.Fightingknifecrime.london
