Transport for London is aiming to promote its zero tolerance approach to all forms of abuse on its network through a new campaign that encourages fellow passengers to play an important role in preventing or discouraging incidents.
Devised by VCCP London and Wavemaker, the “TfL Stands against Hate – Bystander Intervention” activity is the result of a collaboration with a team of experts to identify what actions people could take. The agencies also worked with customer focus groups as the campaign developed to make sure it was informed by the people who will be using the transport network.
With behavioural research revealing that 63% of customers would feel more confident in intervening in an incident if they had more information on how to help, TfL identified a knowledge gap around indirect interventions, like engaging with the victim of abuse rather than confronting the perpetrator and how this was more likely to diffuse the situation.
London-based Illustrator Raj Dhunna developed the creative executions, taking into consideration the customer research. The campaign features distinctive illustrations that bring to life the different ways that travellers can safely intervene if they witness a hate crime or abuse. To achieve the executions Dhunna created visuals to convey the action people take, they include a mouth (to ignore the offender and ask the targeted person simple, calm questions), eyes (to note specific details and report the incident) and teardrops (to offer help to the person after the event).
The three campaign executions are each based on specific behavioural asks, and within each the language has been crafted to be clear but also accessible to customers so that they feel empowered to safely intervene in an incident if they are a witness.
Alongside TfL branding, the creative also uses the same colour palette and similar illustrative style to the existing ‘Stands against Hate’ campaign to ensure consistency and connection between the two.
Planned and executed by Wavemaker UK, the campaign will run throughout 2023 across digital out of home and traditional poster sites on the rail and bus network as well as digitally on Pink News and in the Evening Standard.
TfL head of customer marketing and behaviour change Miranda Leedham said: “We operate a zero tolerance approach to any abuse and hatred across the network and are working hard to tackle this behaviour. Through developing this campaign we understand that the information needs to be clear, simple and action-oriented.
“It is not enough to simply ask people to intervene. Specific and memorable behavioural prompts are the difference between knowing that you should intervene, and feeling that you can. That said, we do not expect customers to police the network but rather we want to give them enough information so they feel safe enough to support fellow customers if they witness a crime.”
Related stories
Chubby checker: Industry chews out TfL HFSS ad claims
Industry HFSS ad ban claims wear thin with TfL success
Ditch bus or train, Tfl urges Londoners to walk or cycle
