Recruitment is not the job of the union, however, noting the seriousness of the shortage – and the effectiveness of previous multimedia campaigns developed by Proximis – the NPF decided to launch a pilot project to help recruit new RCMP Members. In addition to the primary goal of recruiting new Members, the campaign had a very clear secondary goal of educating the public about the unique experience of RCMP officers, thus improving public sentiment. Research determined the need to be honest, authentic, and even “gritty” to effectively reach our audience. Focus Group participants identified that effective communication must showcase not only the rewards of the job, but also the struggles and negatives. As Members explained in the focus groups and interviews, being a police officer is not easy but, despite mounting challenges, is worth it in the end. Thus came the core theme of: “It’sTough, But…” This unique theme was developed by Proximis while editing the primary product of the campaign, a 90-second video (later edited to include60-second and 30-second versions). Additionally, we created a unique visual identity for the campaign, where the message “It’s Tough, But…” was splashed in bold across scenes of high-energy police activity, with the subtle secondary message “Worth It” buried discretely into the surroundings. Allin, we created several videos, a microsite, and digital ads. The campaign can be viewed at: https://itstoughbut.ca. The videos ran across the web, social media, digital news, and select cinemas
