Metropolitan police Trident ad: credited with helping to cut London's gun crime by 15%

The advertising campaign that supported Trident, the Metropolitan police's anti-gun crime initiative, has been judged the most effective in the UK.
Developed by ad agency MCBD, the campaign won the grand prix at the annual IPA Effectiveness awards last night.

The award, considered the UK benchmark for awarding campaigns on the basis of results, credited the campaign with leading to an 86% rise in calls providing information on gun crime, and a 15% reduction in actual gun crime.
Media agency MediaCom planned and bought media for the ad push, which also won a gold award.

The ads aimed to fight gun crime in London's black community and were targeted at streetwise men aged 18 to 24. They dramatised the devastating effects of gun crime and challenged the glamorous imagery surrounding the weapons.
Based around the strapline "Stop the guns", the campaign included ads on petrol pumps and a music video.

London effectiveness agency of the year went to MCBD - which also picked up a gold award for its Waitrose campaign - while The Union picked up the same award for Scotland.
The prize for effectiveness agency of the year in the regions went to Omnicom-owned BDH TBWA.

"In this competition we saw examples of how advertising can rescue a failing business, launch a successful brand extension and insulate a brand from increasing competitive threat," said Richard Storey, the M&C Saatchi chief strategy officer and the convener of the judges.
"However, what inspired the judges most was the proof that it can be successfully and creatively engaged to reduce an endemic social problem like gun crime."

In total four golds, six silvers, eight bronzes and 11 special prizes were presented at the awards.
This year the awards were limited to UK agencies with an income of up to £20m.