The campaign, which was planned before the terrorist attack in Madrid earlier this month, will run for two weeks starting from today. Radio advertising centres on a member of the public who, the voiceover tells us, is going to save lives by spotting behaviour that just doesn't fit in. It ends with the strapline "Your silence could be deadly".
Posters show pictures of people's eyes with the headline "Life Savers" and read: "Terrorists need places to live and to make plans... they need vehicles and people to help them. If you have any suspicions about terrorist activity... DON'T HESITATE," and the telephone number.
The ads urge people such as landlords and motor traders to report any suspicious activity from the people with whom they deal. In Spain, among those arrested were Indians who supplied the mobile phones to the suspected Islamist Moroccan terrorists.
Posters will appear on bus shelters and the ads will run in the Evening Standard and local newspapers. The radio campaign is to run on Capital FM, Capital Gold, Choice FM and Xfm.
Peter Clarke, deputy assistant commissioner and head of the Met's Anti-Terrorist Branch, said: "All communities have a role to play in tackling the terrorist threat. I would urge anyone -- whether they live in London or elsewhere in the UK -- who has information about suspicious behaviour to contact us on 0800 789 321."
The Metropolitan Police retains Miles Calcraft Briginshaw Duffy on its £2m advertising account, with the agency appointed after a three-way pitch, but this campaign has been created by the Met's old agency The Advertising Syndicate, with media through Mediacom. "Life Savers" is being run as a joint effort by the Met and City of London Police.
David Veness, Met assistant commissioner of specialist operations, said: "We want to make London one of the most hostile environments for anyone committed to providing financial or logistical support to terrorists, or carrying out terrorist attacks themselves."
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