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April 7, 2003 - Strategy Media Archive
Best Media Plan

Best plan overall: Runner up, Best use of radio: Winner
How to nab a thief with radio

Agency/media company
OMD Canada - Palmer Jarvis DDB, Vancouver

Clients
The Insurance Corporation of BC; Vancouver Police Department

Brand
Bait Car Program

Budget
Less than $400,000

Media used
Radio

Out-of-Home
Newspaper

Timing
Launched in September 2002

Media team
Lenora Kaltenborn, group director of strategy, PJDDB Vancouver
Michelle Rebalkin, supervisor broadcast/strategy, PJDDB Vancouver
Scot Keith, account director, PJDDB Vancouver
Maureen Atchison, project manager, PJDDB Vancouver
Geoff Taylor, account co-ordinator, PJDDB Vancouver

The background

Over the years, auto crime in Vancouver has reached epidemic levels. In 2001, there were 5,300 stolen automobiles in Vancouver. This represented a 9% increase over the previous year and cost the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC) - and in turn, B.C. car insurance policy holders - $21.8 million.

Vancouver police data also indicate that a high percentage of the 5,300 stolen vehicles are used by criminals in other criminal activity, such as B&E's and home invasions.

Something drastic had to be done to stop auto thieves. The Vancouver Police Department and ICBC launched the innovative "Bait Car" campaign with a high-profile press conference on Sept. 25, 2002.

Bait Cars are vehicles of all makes that are modified with high-tech gadgets. The cars are left in high-theft areas such as gas stations, convenience stores, underground parking lots and malls. When a thief enters the Bait Car, a silent alarm goes off, telling the police that the car has been stolen. Both videotape and audiotape record the auto thieves' actions within the car and collect evidence for use in court.

The car is also equipped with a global positioning system that tells the police the vehicle's exact location. Police track the car and surround the accompanying streets to prevent high-speed chases. When the vehicle is in a safe spot, the engine can be shut off by remote control. The suspects are then arrested on the spot.

The campaign is a first for the VPD: Most police departments measure their performance by the number of arrests in any given crime description, but the Bait Car campaign uses advertising to deter crime. The fear of stealing a Bait Car and getting caught causes many thieves to stop stealing cars altogether. Thus, the quantifiable objective of the campaign was not so much to increase the arrest rate, but simply to reduce auto theft in Vancouver by 10%.

The plan

How to catch a car thief? With a limited media budget and a narrow target group, cost-effective and targeted media were essential for this tactical plan.

Insights

Radio was positioned as the primary medium. Working with the Vancouver Police Department, we were able to determine which radio stations were on when the stolen cars were recovered. We also spent time planning when the ads would run. The renowned Simon Fraser University criminology department was able to provide input on both the creative message and what dayparts were best to air the commercials to reach this elusive target group. It was important to get broad awareness out of the gate in all dayparts, but we heavied up in the evening when most cars get stolen.

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