Seven North East councils have joined together to commission a campaign to reduce the spread of Covid-19 over the winter months.
Drummond Central was the strategic and creative lead agency, working alongside regional firms including SD Advertising on media planning and buying; and McBryde & Co. for PR and content.
Drummond Central undertook behavioural insight research which found that people in the North East were still very worried about the situation, but they were also frustrated at the impact restrictions were having on their social lives, relationships and mental health.
While people knew what they were supposed to do, they sometimes consciously bent rules, forgot or took cues from others who were rule-bending.
“Fatigue is a real barrier to adherence. It’s hard work always abiding by every rule and being told what to do over and over again can take its toll on people’s motivation and capability to stick to the rules,” said Neil Caffery, Head of planning at Drummond Central.
“We heard in our research that people were starting to take their own calculated risks, interpreting the rules themselves and creating their own emotional loopholes to justify bending the rules. We knew that our campaign needed to address this without being just another voice telling people what they can’t do. The strategy is founded on empathy and reminds people of the value of keeping going and sticking to the rules”.
As a result, the agency produced an “intimate, emotionally-charged” campaign, featuring real people including high-risk individuals and key workers.
Photography was done by North East based Dan Prince. Launching today, it will run across television, radio, OOH, press and digital, until the Spring.
