Arson

Three out of four fires attended by  Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service are caused by arson, costing around £37 million a year.  To tackle the problem Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service launched a campaign in 2007 to drive home the message to young people that arson is not a game.

The campaign was aimed directly at offenders with the principal aim of reducing the anti-social effects of arson, including burnt out cars, rubbish skips, derelict buildings and homes within the community. 

It supported existing high profile activities in the community such as Beat Sweeps which involve the fire service working with the Police, Council and other local organisations to tackle environmental crime and anti-social behaviour.

The latest game for idiots and losers
To effectively target young people, a design for the creatives was chosen which looked similar to a computer game or film advertisement (see pictured above). This way it was more likely to grab the attention of young people. The poster pictures a man in handcuffs and carries the straplines 'Arson - The Latest Game for Idiots and Losers' 'You - In a Whole World of Trouble'.

The campaign started on 26th March 2007 and ran throughout April. Advertisements featured on Galaxy Radio and inside buses.  Posters also appeared on BT phone boxes and advertising hoardings in Salford, North Manchester and other high risk areas.  Additional posters were also distributed throughout Greater Manchester in local schools and public venues.

Listen to the radio adverts (MP3 audio file 278 KB)

Read the transcript of the radio advert