A recruitment campaign for prison staff is a tough gig. TV series and movies have given the job a lot of “negative PR” and Fewer than 20% of people in the UK would consider a role in the prison service, according to research. House 337’s job was to change people’s perceptions for HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) and give people a reason to apply.

The agency’s reason became An extraordinary job. Done by someone like you. The campaign aims to attract prospective candidates to roles in the prison service by helping them identify their suitability based on the traits and characteristics required to be a successful prison or probation officer.

A 30-second hero film, Someone like you, highlights how varied and rewarding the role of a prison officer is, while two 20-second films, Tammy and Paul, focus on the role of probation staff helping former prisoners adapt to life outside and reducing the risk of re-offending.

Soundbites from interviews with serving prison officers are used in the narrative voiceover for Someone like you, which was filmed on location at HMP Berwyn, the largest prison in the UK, with Greg Hackett from Spindle directing. Tammy and Paul were shot at an operational probation office in London, with House 337’s Rob Sanderson directing.

Behind the campaign is research conducted by House 337, involving tours of multiple prisons and probation sites and discussions with numerous staff and their clients, as well as audience research by the Ministry of Justice.

The campaign is House 337’s first work for HMPPS after winning a major three-year recruitment brief from the Ministry of Justice to develop an impactful employer brand campaign to recruit prison and probation staff. House 337 won the MoJ / HMPPS brief after a pitch conducted by the Crown Commercial Service’s Communication Marketplace.

The task is part of a wider, ongoing HMPPS transformation placing greater focus on the delivery of frontline services – keeping the public safe, delivering modern prisons that rehabilitate offenders and reducing reoffending.

The full campaign covers VOD, online video, digital audio, social media, and display across the UK. It launched on September 28, focussing in regions where recruitment needs are greatest.

Ben Stack, Ministry of Justice’s deputy director of recruitment and retention, stated, “Working so closely with our prison and probation staff on this project was a privilege – their dedication, good-humour and resilience was real motivation to deliver this campaign on their behalf. These insight-driven adverts show the challenges as well as the rewards of these critical jobs. I hope this authenticity helps deliver more applications and an increased sense of pride among our staff in seeing their work portrayed in this way.”

Charlie Johnson, creative director at House 337, added, “Not every project gives you an opportunity to do something that can make a difference to both individuals and to society. After spending a lot of time with both prison and probation staff we all became truly invested in building an idea that can help both recruit a new generation of frontline staff and inject some pride into a broadly overlooked community of amazing people who do a tough, and very important job.”

Credits:
Client Ministry of Justice / HMPPS
Deputy Director of Recruitment & Retention Comms: Ben Stack
Senior Marketing Lead: Keith Coni
Deputy Head of Recruitment Marketing: Ben Rochelle
Senior Campaigns Advisor:Tanaye Reid
Project Delivery Lead: Chris Coward

Agency House 337 
Executive Creative Director: Leon Jaume
Creative Director: Charlie Johnson
Art Director: Jack Tibbs
Copywriter: Michael Arthey
Chief Strategy Officer: Matt Rhodes
Strategy Director: Rachel O’Donovan
Head of Account Management: Richard Williams
Senior Account Director: Marianne Roberts
Account Manager: Siena Singh
Joint Head of Film: Victoria Fischer
Snr Producer (Prison): Felicity Cruickshank
Jnr Producer (Probation): Trent Webster

Prison film: Director: Greg Hackett
Production Company: Spindle
Producer: Gareth Crowthers
Editor: Billy Mead
Post Production: No. 8
Sound Design: Martin Leitner & Sam Robson
DoP: David Foulkes

Probation film: Director & Editor Rob Sanderson
Post Production & Sound Design: N08
DOP: Richard Preisner
H&MU: Lindsay Jewell
Wardrobe: Emily Davies
Production Design:Lucy Gahagan