We worked with Beko on a digital campaign that aimed to improve product registration rates as well as share simple tips to help people avoid domestic electrical fires.
Campaign Background and Objectives
As a major white goods manufacturer, Beko shares our commitment to consumer safety and the improvement of product safety standards. Beko’s support with funding the video production meant that the Charity’s important messages around product registration and electrical fire prevention could reach a much wider audience.
The campaign aimed to:
- Encourage people to register their appliances with the manufacturer so that faulty products can be easily traced.
Less than a quarter of UK adults say that they always register electrical appliances, meaning that if there is a problem and a recall notice has to be issued, manufacturers are unable to trace the affected products. This apathy towards product registration is largely driven by a lack of awareness as to why it is so important, so driving up the number of people who register their products is vital. - Encourage simple behaviour change when using electricity that will lead to a reduction in the number of accidental domestic electrical fires.
Around half of all accidental fires in UK homes have an electrical origin with 85% of these attributed to electrical appliances. Product misuse is a major cause of these fires, yet there are simple changes that people can make in their everyday behaviour in order to avoid them.
Developing our Content
Electrical safety can be a difficult subject to communicate. The potentially dry subject matter combined with consumer apathy towards product registration meant that we needed to create content that would go against expectations for this type of messaging.
Beko conducted a series of focus groups to ascertain the type of content that would resonate with consumers. We decided to produce a short video that would deliver the safety messages in a simple and humorous way, but with a strong call to action urging people to register the electrical appliances in their homes.
As the video starts, we have a glimpse behind the scenes at a shoot for a standard safety information film, fronted by a sweet looking grandmother, Doris. However, having started well, Doris quickly “goes rogue” and while her swearing is bleeped out, the insults fly thick and fast, much to the horror of the film crew.
偏见在罗veable grandmother figure give more impact to Doris’ foul language, making the content surprising and entertaining – which was reflected in the positive reactions and comments on social media posts.
Target Audience
Government fire data showed that the Greater Manchester area had more electrical fires per 10,000 people than anywhere else in the UK, with electrical appliances the main cause (either through misuse or faults).
So, we focused initially on people living in the Greater Manchester area and specifically targeted lower income families and those living in densely populated accommodation, shown by Government fire data to be the groups most at risk.
Following a successful launch in this area, the campaign was extended to cover other Northern cities, including Leeds and Liverpool.
The video was promoted across social media, alternating between full and cut-down versions depending on audience response to the content. It was also shared with stakeholders and bloggers in the Greater Manchester area, enabling us to reach a wider audience through their channels.
Results
Within two months the video had been watched 1,729,457 times, with 8,000 reactions, comments and shares.
Following the activity, we have seen positive changes in attitudes from consumers in the North West. The latest consumer research (February 2021) has shown that 47% say they always or often register their electrical products, up from 39% the previous year.