Cannabis farms are illegal, and are often discreetly hidden in houses and urban communities. Crimestoppers needed to effectively show people how they could spot a cannabis farm in their neighbourhood, as well as to encourage them to report a recreational drug seen as ‘more acceptable’ by the public.
The solution by Felton Communication was to produce a ‘scratch and sniff’ cannabis awareness mailer, with distinctive visuals that could work on other media platforms. It also linked the growth of cannabis to increases in violent crime. The campaign was supported by social media activity.
In the two weeks following the launch, calls and online reports to Crimestoppers on ‘Drugs manufacture and cultivation’ increased by 63%. Based on information from Crimestoppers and other intelligence, the Metropolitan Police raided and closed 34 cannabis farms, seizing plants worth £2.1m. The campaign has been the most successful in Crimestoppers’ history.
