Hertfordshire Constabulary
Posters
THE BRIEF
Hertfordshire is an attractive county that has a very relaxed feel to it with good schools, excellent facilities and a useful proximity to London. Hertfordshire Constabulary employs approximately 2000 police officers, 1000 support staff and 300 special constables. Covering over 600 square miles, they embrace every kind of landscape—from the gritty, urban borders of London to beautiful National Trust areas.
When we began our partnership, our client was receiving an average of 10 applications per week and recruiting fewer than 13 new officers every five weeks—well below their target of 25. Some intakes even had to be cancelled due to lack of interest.
THE SOLUTION
In order to promote the career of police officer, we created an employer brand for the constabulary. Ads were placed in local press and backed up with cinema, radio, bus, and railway stations, and all candidates were driven to the Web site for information and to apply online. We also proposed creating a poster that would appeal to all candidates when in the washrooms of shopping centers and other public buildings.
The poster was printed on a mirror board showing a police helmet at the top and below it a shirt, tie, and police radio. Two versions were developed, one for the men's uniform and another for the women's. Where the face would appear, we left a blank space. Therefore, when the viewer looks at the poster, he or she sees their own face reflected back, framed in the police uniform. The headline read: "Can you see yourself in the Police Force?" Interested parties were then driven to call a phone number and visit the police department's recruitment Web site.
THE RESULT
The poster was a very successful element of the campaign. The employer brand and multimedia blitz effectively allowed the Constabulary to increase its average monthly intake of Officers by 130 per cent! Creating a Safer Hertfordshire Committed to being an Equal Opportunities Employer.
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