TfGM: Belt Up or Pay Up

Key Points

• Client: TfGM (Transport for Greater Manchester)
• Campaign: Belt Up or Pay Up
• Project Type: Public Safety Campaign (Video + Photography)
• Location: Manchester
• Timeframe: January 2026
• Deliverables: 2x hero videos, 2x stills campaigns (OOH + digital display)
• Formats: 9:16, 16:9 + digital display
• Production Scope: Full-service (concept through to delivery)
• Constraint: Entire campaign captured in a single shoot day

The Challenge

Getting people to wear a seatbelt shouldn’t be complicated. But changing behaviour? That’s a different story.

TfGM needed a campaign that would land with younger drivers - particularly males aged 18–44 - and actually make them think twice. Not through fear-heavy, over-the-top storytelling. But through something more real. More recognisable.

The idea was simple: show everyday moments. The kind you’ve probably been in yourself. Keep it light. Keep it human. Let the message land without forcing it.

But behind that simplicity sat a big production challenge.

We needed to create:

• 2 fully realised hero films
• 2 sets of stills for OOH and digital
• Content that worked across multiple formats and platforms
• Both scenes were to be based in a car which presented significant logistical challenges

All within one single shoot day.

The Plan

With a constraint like that, everything comes down to preparation.

So we didn’t just show up to shoot. We built the entire concept around making that one day work as hard as possible.

We:

• Pitched the creative approach, leaning into humour and everyday relatability along with a high-fashion style that felt considered and on-trend
• Wrote the scripts, keeping scenarios grounded and recognisable rather than dramatic
• Storyboarded each output, so every shot had a purpose
• Handled casting, finding talent that felt authentic and believable (not “actor-y”)
• Managed scheduling, mapping the day down to the detail to maximise output
• Sourced costume and props, building worlds that felt lived-in and authentic

We also built the campaign with performance in mind:

• Stills to grab attention first
• Video to follow up and deepen the message

So every asset had a role to play - not just creatively, but strategically too.

The Results

The campaign didn’t just come together on the day - it delivered where it matters.

• +60% above target on paid social static impressions
• +11% above target on digital out-of-home impacts
• 11,456 clicks to the Seat Belts website
• 486 plays video plays on social media (+ 68% on target)
• 1.6 million paid social video plays (+12% on target)
• 385k digital display impressions (+4% on target)
• 3.1m impressions provided by photography (+. 138% on target)
• 383k organic social impressions - more than double expectations

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