News & Press / July 3, 2024

Golley Slater wins gold The Drum award for government campaign

Golley Slater, our UK member agency, has taken home gold at The Drum Awards for Marketing EMEA 2024 for their campaign with Transport for Wales. This campaign aimed to raise awareness of the new electrification of the Core Valleys rail network, reduce trespass on the tracks, and highlight the risks of overhead line equipment fatalities, targeting young people who are often more prone to trespassing.

Tapping into the trending world of thrifting and bargain hunting for pre-loved items, Golley Slater created their own ‘No Second Chances’ pre-loved clothing brand. The items in this brand formerly belonged to people who had tragically lost their lives trespassing on railways. The initiative launched both on a Depop-style website—an online marketplace popular among young people for buying and selling second-hand clothing—as well as a pop-up store in Wales’ largest shopping centre in Cardiff city. Each piece of clothing included the story of who had last worn the item, personalizing the tragic consequences of trespassing.

Golley Slater also introduced a behavioural changing room within the pop-up store. This unique feature allowed visitors to try on the clothes while learning the stories of the victims, providing a powerful, immersive experience designed to change attitudes and behaviours towards railway safety.

The campaign achieved remarkable results, including a 17% increase in awareness of the new electrification tracks, a 50% drop in trespassing incidents, and no deaths recorded on the South Wales valley lines since the campaign launched. The creative approach to connecting with the young cohort in a relevant and impactful way demonstrates Golley Slater's innovative thinking. Amazing work, guys!