TfL looks to tackle London's air pollution problem

Transport for London (TfL) has unveiled a new campaign as it looks to tackle London’s air pollution problem. 

Looking to drive awareness of the poor quality of London’s air - the capital reached its annual air quality limit in less than a month this year - the campaign focuses on those who are affected most, London’s children. 

Created by VCCP, the campaign features an emotive film which tells the story of a school playtime through a visual metaphor for air pollution. To further land the message, VCCP worked with the London Youth Choir to rework the Hollies classic ‘The air that I breathe’ into a moving child’s plea to clean up the air. 

“With an issue as important as this, it is crucial that we affect change,” said TfL head of customer marketing and behaviour change, Miranda Leedham. “We believe that by visualising the problem in such an emotional and moving way we can really cut through, get people to act and ultimately protect Londoners from the damaging health impacts of air pollution.” 

Jon Fox, creative director at VCCP, added the “scale and ambition” of the campaign is “clear indication” of how seriously TfL is treating air pollution. “The work needed to be visually striking and thought provoking and we think it delivers on both counts,” he said. 

Display ads for the campaign feature those who will be directly affected by the Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) TfL is working with London’s mayor to bring in from April 2019. Creative for the campaign runs across TV, print, OOH, radio and online.

See the campaign film by clicking on the Creative Works box below.