Special Constables
Campaign message: "Could you?"
Aim: To help the Home Office meet their Special Constables target; they wanted 14,000 Special Constables (volunteers) in active service by 2006/07. The aim of the campaign was to increase awareness of Special Constables, to increase respect for the volunteers and to generate new applications.
Number of people involved: Unknown
Launched: 2nd January 2006
Campaign description: The Home Office Marketing and Strategic Communications Unit ran this national campaign over three months on behalf of all English and Welsh police forces. The campaign involved TV and radio advertisements, national and regional press, online advertising. It was aimed at "community-spirited" people aged 30 and over and those who might be considering a career in the regular police force. It also tapped into the idea of helping people create a work-life balance. The message was all about "working with and for your community"
All regional and local press advertisements included a relevant local case study; the story of someone from the local community who is a Special Constable. The message was "Tackling crime doesn't have to be a full-time job".
Online: The team placed online banner adverts for the campaign which users could click through to get to the "Could you?" website. The adverts were placed on Up My Street, Friendsreunited, MSN, Society Guardian and the regional network of "This is...." sites.
Outside agencies: M&C Saatchi for creating the adverts.
Results: To ensure that the Home Office could evaluate the campaign they set up a website and a phone number for all new recruits who wished to register their interest in becoming a Special Constable.
Between January and April 2006 there were 14,456 calls to the recruitment phone line. 7,050 application requests via the phone line and 4,629 applications were downloaded from the website. There were 83, 528 clicks on their Could You? website.
Have a look at how the Home Office team recorded and identified which elements of the advertising campaign had been most successful. Their overall finding was that the highest peak of response was once the campaign integrated - with TV, radio and national press advertising occurring simultaneously. They also found that online and press (regional and national) was essential to the advertising strategy. TV and radio adverts were not effective enough on their own. They also recognised that local case studies and pictures were vital to the success of the campaign.
Contact: Emma Stranack (Home Office) www.policecouldyou.co.uk/specials
