Challenge

The Government had committed to building 20,000 new prison places across England and Wales. But HMPPS faced a major challenge: not just attracting candidates but keeping them. Many new recruits were leaving soon after joining, often because they didn’t fully understand the job. Misconceptions about the role meant the right candidates weren’t seeing themselves in it, and the wrong candidates were dropping out fast.

Solution

We took a radically honest approach to what it really means to be a prison officer. Our insight showed that people who succeed in the role aren’t superheroes - they’re resilient, empathetic and team players. Skills that many people already have but don’t associate with the job.

We created a campaign designed to drive self-identification:

• A suite of AV, cinema and audio assets showed the realities of the job - challenging but rewarding
• Each film highlighted a core skill needed for the role: communication, teamwork and resilience, supportiveness
• We targeted media in high-need areas using VOD, radio, cinema, paid social, digital and OOH placements
• Messaging was grounded in authenticity and respect - building pride among current staff while attracting new candidates who genuinely fit