Replacing the Council for Registered Gas Installers (CORGI) in 2009, the Gas Safe Register is the UK’s official gas registration body. Its importance in ensuring the safety of both residents and gas operatives is of great importance, and as it approaches a decade of operation, data still points to as much as 75% of illegal gas work across the UK deemed to be unsafe. Its newest campaign communicates the importance of gas safety through memorable and distinctive strategy.

Developed by London-based brand and communications agency, the Team, the campaign uses vivid and captivating colours to bring gas safety to the forefront of the project. Highlighting the risk of ‘cutting corners’ by not using Gas Safe registered professionals, the Team’s emphasis on customer action is communicated through sharp, effective language. Copy such as ‘its up to you,’ and ‘check it, don’t risk it,’ feature across advertising and marketing outlets, including branded stickers for gas engineers, out-of-home advertising, radio coverage, and a 15-second YouTube pre-roll advert.

Scott Darroch, head of communications at Gas Safe Register, says, “We know that customers want to do the right thing, but are also cost-conscious, so may be tempted to DIY or use cowboys. This campaign is designed to remind them of the risks of ‘cutting corners’ when it comes to gas and encouraging them to always check that their engineer is Gas Safe registered.”

In 2017, the London Fire Brigade published figures highlighting 569 callouts for carbon monoxide related incidents, highlighting the danger of unsafe work. Of the nation’s unsafe cities, London ranks highest at 75%, with Nottingham and Sheffield ranking at 72% and 71% respectively. In the UK, similar research pointed to as many as 16m households could be at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, further illustrating the importance of awareness into the dangers of unsafe gas work.

Sally Tarbit, director at the team, says, “We wanted to make gas safety impossible to ignore, and the Gas Safety Register as memorable as possible. Leveraging the distinctiveness of the brand gave us a great platform to make the message clear, simple and personal.”