The Metropolitan Police faces a reputation challenge, with confidence in the force at an all time low. This means there is a struggle to attract candidates and meet hiring targets, so it needed a new approach. Research showed that family and friends were the most influential factor when candidates were making career choices, so the campaign needed to go beyond officer voices and hand the mic to the loved ones of existing employees. Any campaign also needed to overcome preconceptions among under-represented communities, particularly those from Black and Asian backgrounds, that a career in the police was not for them.

‘F is for family’ is a series of short films that highlighted some of the perceived barriers to joining the Met. It shows the initial concerns of three serving officers’ family members, reflecting real conversations but showing that perspectives can shift quickly from concern to pride. The hope was that the videos would inspire others to apply if they had similar experiences with their own families; they chart a journey from finding out someone was planning to join to how they feel after a period of time. Each video finishes with a strong call to action: Now, more than ever. Become a Met Police Officer.

Since launch in early 2022 the videos have received wide-ranging positive feedback. In November 2022, they began to run in cinemas across London. They are now featured in prominent ITV ad breaks, targeting 18-34-year-olds within a 70-mile radius of London, as well as Netflix subscription plans with ads. The videos have a high recall rate among Londoners, a rate that increases significantly for those of Black African heritage. Since launch the suite of videos have attracted more than 20 million impressions, with a 99% view-through rate. Reactions include that “they show messages about how diverse the force is, that it’s family-friendly and very inclusive for other cultures and religions”.