Victoria Police turn the spotlight on future cops in new campaign

Victoria Police is putting potential recruits front and centre in a new campaign developed by Thinkerbell, encouraging Victorians who may never have considered a career in policing to take another look.

Titled Put Yourself Forward, the recruitment campaign shifts the focus from the police force itself to the qualities people already possess that could make them suitable for the job.

Rather than relying on traditional recruitment messaging, the creative highlights everyday attributes including empathy, courage and the ability to understand people, challenging prospective applicants to recognise their own potential.

The campaign targets 18 to 36-year-olds across metropolitan and regional Victoria, with a focus on reaching people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

The approach is designed to address a common barrier in recruitment: people who may be well suited to a role don't necessarily see themselves as candidates.

By putting the individual at the centre of the message, Victoria Police is seeking to turn that consideration into action and encourage more people to explore a career in policing.

Thinkerbell developed the campaign's creative and customer experience strategy, with OMD handling media and FINCH responsible for film production.

Put Yourself Forward will run for 12 months across film, social, digital, outdoor and radio, giving Victoria Police a sustained recruitment presence across the state.

The campaign marks a shift towards more candidate-led storytelling, positioning policing as a career that draws on personal strengths and experiences rather than a predetermined idea of what a police officer should look like.