April 13 , 2010

Text in tips to Toronto Crime Stoppers

Campaign launched to promote service

Toronto Crime Stoppers has launched its first campaign to promote its text-in tips service.

Crime Stoppers had long been a phone-in service offering anonymity to those reporting crimes to a toll-free number. The service also now allows for online tips at its website.

After soft-launching the text-in service last year, Lorne Simon , chair of Toronto Crime Stoppers, said the time had come for mass-market outreach.

"We realized that the younger demographic in high schools and middle schools...use text messaging," said Simon. "Our focus is youth in stopping and preventing crime, and maintaining their anonymity."

Agency of record DDB Canada has created a series of ads that show Toronto locations expressed in the abbreviated text talk of mobile phones.

The ads appear on 31 transit shelters in the city, each donated by Astral Media . The creative will soon run on Onestop Media 's digital screens in subway stations, and across the city as wild postings.

A press conference is also scheduled for the coming weeks, kicking off the public relations component of the campaign managed by Michael Communications PR Group , which Simon owns.

Printing and production costs were offset by sponsorship from Insurance Brokers of Toronto Region