Gang violence in Canada is a growing problem with increasing violence and death on the streets. This campaign’s objective is to reduce violence by discouraging the next generation of gangsters, teens between 13 and 14 years old, from joining a gang in the first place. Our research with current and past gangsters, crime reporters, federal police and social workers showed that the false glamourous perception of wealth and power that attracts teens to gangs is far from the reality of being in a gang - a life of fear inevitably ending in beatings, imprisonment or death. And, all too frequently all three.

The campaign launched in three waves. Firstly, a 30 second film component on major broadcast networks, cinema and internet sites like YouTube launched with the website stayout.ca. This was followed up by street level advertising that met teens in their daily lives. Numbers for the audio street crimes were posted in bus stops, school yards and washrooms. The recruitment campaign was posted in skateboard parks, community centres and other teen hangouts. Lastly, a PR campaign anchored by spent bullet casings with the URL engraved became a major media talking point and photo opportunity.