Communications for a safer London

17th November 2003

 What we’ve done to prepare

Spoken to police officers Conducted our own Omnibus

Spoken to Tim Miles (Crime Reporter) Reviewed ‘Fear of crime’ literature

Spoken to Colin Aylott (Defence Barrister) Spoken to Choice FM

Spoken to John Stokes (Psychologist) Met with Mediacom

Spoken to Brian Healey (ex-Fraud Squad) Spoken to Chris & Simon (MPS)

Carried out “street photography” exercises Spoken to Lambeth, Brent, Westminster

and Southwark CSUs
The key challenges as we see them

Tackling sensitive and complex issues

Talking to multiple audiences and stakeholders

Unifying without compromising effectiveness

Making the most of limited budgets

Delivering against the overall vision

Our overriding principle: amplification
Internal audiences

Campaigns
Perpetrators Media

Operations

Community Opinion
groups formers

London partners

Not just ads but catalysts for broader engagement

Our approach to today

Prioritise the objectives

Understand / unify audiences

Clarify roles for communication

Create a communications framework

Show our creative mettle (with due humility)

 1. Where do we want to be?

“Build
perception
“Reassure public “Strengthen “Reduce of London “Raise the “Give
that the MPS is public fear of Met’s profile Londoners
taking positive confidence crime” as one of as world- a sense of
action” and trust”
world’s class and ownership”
racially
safest cities” diverse”

Essential stepping stones for reaching primary Important by-products of

objective reaching primary objective
Primary objective Will become even more
important with time
 Where are we now?
60
On a scale from 1-10
57
50 How safe is London?
51
How safe is your community?

40
%

30
30 31
20

10
11 11

0
Worried (1-3) Concerned (4-7) Safe (8-10)

Relatively good foundations - not a community gripped by fear

Source: MCBD Omnibus (Base: Londoners)
2. Who are we talking to?
 2. Who are we talking to?

The worried minority

High crime areas

Previous victims

Vulnerable minorities
Feel powerless and
isolated

Source: British Crime Survey 2000 / 2001

 2. Who are we talking to?

The worried minority The concerned majority

High crime areas All areas

Previous victims Less directly affected

Vulnerable minorities Concerned in principle

Feel powerless and Nervous about crime
isolated spiralling out of control and
its seemingly random nature

Source: British Crime Survey 2000 / 2001

 2. Who are we talking to?

The worried minority The concerned majority The safe minority

High crime areas All areas Low crime areas

Previous victims Less directly affected Rarely affected

Vulnerable minorities Concerned in principle Feel disconnected

Feel powerless and Nervous about crime Insulate themselves
isolated spiralling out of control and from crime’s effects
its seemingly random nature

Source: British Crime Survey 2000 / 2001

 Bringing these audiences to life
The worried minority The concerned majority The safe minority

Source: MCBD street photography

3. How can communications help?
3. How can communications help?

The worried minority

Build on operational
activity

Signal change of
emphasis

Demonstrate specific
action

Reassert
3. How can communications help?

The worried minority The concerned majority

Build on operational Make crime feel more

activity manageable

Signal change of Make them feel that crime is

emphasis being controlled

Demonstrate specific Give them helpful advice

action

Reassert Reassure
3. How can communications help?

The worried minority The concerned majority The safe minority

Build on operational Make crime feel more Build on existing

activity manageable trust

Signal change of Make them feel that crime is Show how crime
emphasis being controlled affects us all

Demonstrate specific Give them helpful advice Enlist support

action

Reassert Reassure Re-engage

4. What should we be saying to them?
Partnership

Worried Concerned Safe

minority majority minority
The Met You can
is help
making make
London London
safer safer

We can work together to

make London safe
5. How can we harmonise tone of voice?
5. How can we harmonise tone of voice?

The worried minority

Demonstrate positive
Met attitude

Exude action

Dial up:
- “progressive”
- “confident”
5. How can we harmonise tone of voice?

The worried minority The concerned majority

Demonstrate positive Show how partnership can

Met attitude work

Exude action Help and inform

Dial up: Dial up:

- “progressive” - “reassuring”
- “confident” - “understanding”
5. How can we harmonise tone of voice?

The worried minority The concerned majority The safe minority

Demonstrate positive Show how partnership can Build on existing trust

Met attitude work

Exude action Help and inform Empower people

Dial up: Dial up: Dial up:

- “progressive” - “reassuring” - “accessible”
- “confident” - “understanding” - “encouraging”
 Putting it all together - a communications framework

The world’s
Vision safest major city

Audiences Worried Concerned Safe

minority majority minority

Role for communications Reassert Reassure Re-engage

Message We can help We can work You can help

together

Progressive Reassuring Accessible

Tone
Confident Understanding Encouraging

Campaigns Safer Streets Neighbourhood Watch

Domestic violence
Safer Homes Crimestoppers
Hate crime
Terrorism
Trident
Drugs
 The backbone of the campaign

Vision Working for a

safer London

Audiences Worried Concerned Safe

minority majority minority

Role for communications Reassert Reassure Re-engage

Message We can help We can work You can help

together

Progressive Reassuring Accessible

Tone
Confident Understanding Encouraging

Campaigns Safer Streets Neighbourhood Watch

Domestic violence
Safer Homes Crimestoppers
Hate crime
Terrorism
Trident
Drugs
Creative approach
Creative principles
1. Be simple

2. One message per ad

3. Practical advice

4. Impact / surprise

5. Media and message in harmony

6. Sensitivity to the issues

Creative work
Concluding thoughts

Our vision

“To make every pound invested contribute to making London safer”

Our values

To treat everyone fairly

To be open and honest

To work in partnership

To change to improve
Thank you