Partner Article

Safety campaigners use gaming to convey serious messages

Electrical Safety First, a UK charity that promotes the importance of electrical safety and tackles common consumer misconceptions relating to electrical DIY, has created a new game to help communicate safety messages to UK consumer audiences.

The game can be played via the organisation’s web site http://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/diychallenge or via www.diychallenge.co.uk and both the game and microsite have been crafted by digital agency Code Computerlove as part of its ongoing digital marketing support for Electrical Safety First.

The game that can be played on a desktop of mobile device asks people to tackle a series of supposedly ‘unbeatable’ electrical challenges like rewiring a house, installing a new circuit and installing garden lighting.

While fun, the irony at the end of the game is that if the consumer completes the task and ‘wins the game’ they are presented with a Part P certificate to sign, which would be the case if the task had been carried out in a home. But the game makes it impossible for the player to sign the certificate because they’re not qualified to do it.

Emma Apter, Electrical Safety First said: “Research shows a huge lack of understanding about Part P that states that anyone carrying out electrical installation work in a home must make sure that the work is designed and installed to protect people from fire and electric shocks. Electricians carrying out work in England and Wales have to comply with Part P of the Building Regulations, hence why DIYing such tasks is a huge mistake.

“In a survey, 79% of the UK said that they hadn’t heard of Part P and 52% didn’t know whether the electrician they had used for electrical work in their home was Part P registered with one of the Government approved schemes.

“Doing electrical DIY like the activities highlighted in our new game could mean that people are breaking the law or might struggle to sell their house; all because of a lack of consumer awareness.

“The communication objective is to educate people about what Part P means and encourage them to not attempt electrical work themselves, and call out a registered electrician instead.”

Emma added: “A recent UK study found that smartphones have enticed 70% of the country to play a game in the past six months. The study also revealed there are now more people over 44 years old playing games (27% of the audience) than children or teenagers (22%). The gamer audience reportedly stands at 33.5 million Britons – 69% of the population.

“We’re confident using a fun way of delivering serious messages will help to increase the UK’s awareness of Part P.”

Sweating a modest promotional budget, the game is being promoted via native ads, social media channels and PR.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Kirsty Hunt .