Dear Mr Perrin,

Thank you for your letter (dated 4^th December) requesting information about the new FRANK campaign which warns young people about the risks and consequences of cocaine use.

I am pleased to be able to disclose the information that you requested to you. I hope the following is helpful:

Background

The campaign is centred on `Pablo the drug mule dog', who died as a result of being used to smuggle cocaine into the country. Waking from the dead, he goes on a mission to find out the truth about the risks and consequences of taking the drug. The adverts, which are being broadcast on Channel 4, satellite channels and online are aimed at 15-18 year olds and signpost young people to the FRANK website talktofrank.com

You asked:

How are you going to measure the effectiveness of using TV adverts as part of this campaign

The campaign strategy and creative work were researched with young people prior to the development of the campaign.

We are measuring the effectiveness of the campaign by gauging awareness of our key messages and young people's attitudes towards the drug before and after the campaign. This will enable us to track any awareness or altitudinal shifts among our audience as a result of being exposed to the advertising. The campaign is being measured through a survey of three hundred 15-18 year olds (before and after the campaign); a nationally representative sample.

I would like to know (more generally) how you assess the suitability of TV campaigns as the right medium for any particular application.

We work with a specialist media planning agency who advises us on the most appropriate media choices for our campaigns. TV advertising gives us a rich visual impact to communicate a range of messages that we could not achieve by using, say posters or radio. It also enables us to engage large audiences very quickly, as well creating talkability around the campaign.

If you are dissatisfied with this response you may request an independent internal review of our handling of your request by submitting your complaint within two months to the below address quoting reference 10860.

During the independent review the department's handling of your information request will be reassessed by staff who were not involved in providing you with this response. Should you remain dissatisfied after this internal review, you will have a right of complaint to the Information Commissioner as established by section 50 of the Freedom of Information Act.

In keeping with the spirit and effect of the Freedom of Information Act, all information is assumed to be releasable to the public unless exempt. The department therefore, will be simultaneously releasing to the public the information you requested together with any related information that will provide a key to its wider context.]

I hope that you find this information of interest, and would like to assure you that you have been supplied with all relevant information that the Home Office holds.

Yours sincerely,

Nathan Jones.

Senior Marketing Manager

Marketing Unit

Home Office

Complaints should be submitted to:

Information Rights Team
Information and Record Management Service
Home Office
4th Floor, Seacole Building
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF

Email: [email address]