Transport for London: “Act like a friend”
Transport for London (TfL) has launched a hard-hitting campaign urging passengers who witness aggressive behaviour or harassment on its network to step in safely. The initiative, released during the UK’s National Hate Crime Awareness Week, encourages bystanders to defuse situations by actively supporting the victim rather than confronting the aggressor.
“Rather than looking away, people should approach the victim, pretend they’re old friends and engage them in conversation, thus deterring predators from continuing their attacks”, Transport for London (TfL) officials explained in an interview with the BBC. To deliver the message, TfL turned to the agency VCCP and WPP Media’s Wavemaker team, who produced a powerful campaign featuring a film directed by the talented young filmmaker Edem Kelman.
Active bystander
The two-minute film is based on real stories, with several scenarios that will feel depressingly familiar to regular users of the London transport network. In one scene on a bus, a young woman appears deeply distressed by an aggressor. Two friends see what’s happening and step in. “We just got up and sat next to her, and acted like we were her mates.” “’If they can act like a friend, so can you” , the voice-over says at the end of the film – a message that feels like a call to act without taking much risk, since it doesn’t involve confronting the aggressor.
“This campaign taps into something most Londoners can relate to: wanting to help but not knowing how in the moment. We needed to give people a behaviour that is simple, safe, but most importantly natural”, Zoë Stock, Creative Director at VCCP, explains on their website.
Wide reach
In early October, the campaign (which runs until 24 November) was launched in a preview event at the London Transport Museum, bringing together witnesses, victims, law enforcement and those involved in tackling violence against women and girls. The film, which is being shown in cinemas, also has versions adapted for digital platforms and social media. It is accompanied by advertising displays, both digital and print, particularly in stations, as well as partnerships that include football clubs.
