'Respect. You don't need a gun to get it' is the message of Trident's
latest publicity campaign. Trident, the Metropolitan Police partnership
with London's black communities, has teamed up with MTV and influential
black role models including singer Estelle, Olympic Gold medallist James
De Gale and Apprentice winner Tim Campbell, to demonstrate to young people
ways of getting respect without a gun. The campaign targets 13-19 year
old males of African and African-Caribbean heritage.
The empowering campaign, using partnership working and new ideas to engage
our young audience, will comprise of the thought provoking TV advertorials
appearing across all MTV channels, as well as radio advertorials on both
Kiss and Choice FM.
In conjunction with MySpace, the campaign will also provide our audience
with insight into positive career paths that are achievable without the
need to turn to a gun.
Alongside local mentors, some of the role models used will also be leading
a series of workshops for young people across London. The workshops are
aimed at young people who are vulnerable to becoming involved in, or have
already, committed a criminal offence. The workshops will be held during
November and December, in Trident's priority boroughs, namely Brent, Hackney,
Haringey, Lambeth and Southwark. Through music and multi-media activity
the role models will work alongside the young people to share ideas on
the alternative ways of gaining respect, without becoming drawn into gun
crime.
For the first time Trident will also be using Blyk, a mobile phone network
dedicated to urban youth, to send targeted text messages to our audience
over a 4-week period to prompt discussion around gun crime and respect,
and to encourage them to visit www.droptheweapons.org
for further information.
Trident continues to work determinedly to reduce the disproportionate
effect of gun crime on young black males.