Reduce Youth Violence

Client: Toronto police (Toronto neighbourhood officers)

The Brief: Create an awareness campaign on the increase of youth violence in the GTA.

Research: According to a study, only 40% of people offered assistance in helping a woman in distress when other people were also present (Verywell Mind, 2023).

Stat/Survey: “47.9% feel unsure about walking away, torn between safety and responsibility.”, when witnessing a situation some may hesitate due to fear.

Challenge: Get young people to feel confident in safely intervening in violent situations.

Consumer: young and social gen-z, who live in populated urban areas.
Insight: Many young adults and youth hesitate to act, expecting someone else to intervene during a violent situation.

Solution: Empower young people to act when witnessing serious situations. Through educational and empowering messaging, reassuring them that they can make a change, so they won't be a bystander.

Thinking: The thinking behind this campaign was putting ourselves in the target's shoes, although we are the audience, how would others in our generation respond to a police service PSA, would they want to be forced to do something or be uplifted? We obviously figured they’d want to be uplifted and encouraged.

Big idea: Be The One Who Steps Up. It only takes one person in a room or street full of people to potentially save someone's life.