| Title | THE MISSING PERSON PRE-ROLL |
| Brand | THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE |
| Product / Service | MISSING PERSONS UNIT |
| Category | A07. Best Use of Digital Media |
| Entrant | VML Sydney, AUSTRALIA |
| Entrant Company | VML Sydney, AUSTRALIA |
| Advertising Agency | VML Sydney, AUSTRALIA |
| Name | Company | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Julian Watt | GPY&R | Executive Creative Director |
| Aden Hepburn | VML Australia | Managing Director |
| David Jackson | VML Australia | Senior Art Director |
| Paul Coles | VML Australia | Group Account Director |
The Missing Persons Pre-roll was a YouTube world first seen by over 1.2 million Australians during the week it ran, with 238 users clicking through to provide more information and new leads. The use of YouTube’s ‘Trueview’ placements, which only require media payment if the pre-roll runs in its entirety, or when the user clicks through, made the $36,785 media spend very cost-effective, while the unique use of the format, combined with the customization of the Trueview ‘skip’ button, generated added media coverage on TV and in national papers.
The Missing Persons Pre-roll set about turning the unavoidable five seconds of a YouTube pre-roll into an engaging, geo-targeted call-out for sightings of missing people. YouTube users were delivered details of a missing person last seen in their local area and asked simply, “Have you seen this person?” To further grab users’ attention, the ‘skip’ button was customised to illicit a response of “No, I haven’t” or “Yes, I have”; the latter linking to an AFP page to submit details. The new YouTube pre-roll companion MREC banner even allowed users to be shown other missing person after they clicked skip. Through presenting YouTube users with engaging, targeted information on missing persons cold cases at a time when they are expecting a normal advertisement afforded a cut-through that allowed the AFP to broaden their reach and accuracy in the search for Australia’s missing.
With over 1,600 missing person cold cases in Australia, this Missing Persons’ Week the Australian Federal Police wanted to showcase the long term missing to search for new leads. With Australian federal regulations stating all media showcasing missing persons information has to be removable in 24 hours, a poster in local police stations is the main media to showcase the missing. As a result, a more dynamic, targeted solution was required that would allow the AFP to take advantage of the added media exposure around Missing Persons’ Week to amplify the issue, ensuring the search for Australia’s missing persons was at the top of peoples’ minds and thereby increasing new leads.