This appalled us at Agent. We wanted to step up and make a difference – and so we did. 

Working with TfGM, we set out to develop a campaign approach rooted in behaviour change that helps female passengers stay safe on public transport.  

We were led by insight, experience and findings from those who had previously suffered the same, traumatic situations. Listening to and working with those who have lived experience is fundamentally important in co-producing the golden thread for our work.   

This insight formed the basis of our ‘active bystander’ campaign, which encourages individuals to safely support other passengers who are confronted with harassment or unwanted approaches.  

Our creative strategy was also informed by insights from sensitive engagement with survivors, victims and those with lived experience, as well as with key charities and organisations.  

We also conducted focus group testing to ensure the campaign aligned with the target demographics most likely to be subjected to harassment on public transport.  

This vision, coupled with the dual understanding of our team and network, defined a strong creative direction.  

Our resulting campaign appears on buses, trams, trains, social media and at stops and stations across the TfGM network. It offers passengers clear, visual guidance on when it is safe to intervene and what to do after witnessing a fellow passenger being subject to negative or anti-social behaviours.  

Inspired by posters from the golden age of travel and their accompanying letterpress and halftone printing, our creative direction was eye-catchingly bold and loud. We encouraged bystanders to take small but effective actions in unwanted situations, while at the same time keeping both themselves safe and situations under control.  

To produce multiple scenarios and help render characters more broadly, each scene was created in-house using photography of team members. These were then hand-drawn into each scene, allowing flexibility to change both characters and their actions without the need for re-shoots, additional props, vehicles or wider locations. 

With more than 1,000 posters on buses, trains and trams, and at stops and stations across the ten metropolitan boroughs which make up Greater Manchester, we are proud to have contributed to an environment where everyone can feel safer and less threatened as they go about their day on public transport.  

“This campaign was shaped by in-depth market insights, sensitively gathered by our strategy team. Our creatives produced clear, eye-catching and informative artwork which was highly impactful. We demonstrated a clear ability to collaborate effectively with other departments and clients throughout. This resulted in us producing a piece of work that had the power to drive behavioural change and have a positive impact on the safety of our communities."

“We hope that this campaign goes some way to help drive positive behaviour change on board public transport in supporting women and girls’ safety – it’s an absolute must”