Intellectual Property OfficeFake Always Breaks

Strategic Communications
Technology
Brand & Reputation
A heavily damaged white car with a shattered front shows an orange fake wheel breaking apart. Text reads, Fake Always Breaks. Below, a caption says, Real parts = Real protection. Safeguard with genuine parts and respect intellectual property.
A white, heavily damaged car with crumpled front and open door. Black text reads, Fake Always Breaks. Below, a dark banner states, Real parts = Real protection. Campaign by the Intellectual Property Office.

The work

Audience research showed us that many motorists were buying fake parts to save money and only saw the upside of the savings they were making. They didn’t question the potential downsides – such as the threat to their safety and that of other road users.

We developed a strategic proposition for the campaign based on a single-minded message: if the price looks too good to be true, it probably is.

This strategy came to life through the ‘Fake Always Breaks’ campaign, with hard-hitting copy and imagery demonstrating the dangers that fake car parts pose to motorists and passengers. The creative was inspired by the ghost bike initiative that commemorates London cyclists who have died in road traffic incidents.

Activations for the campaign included:

  • A paid social campaign across Facebook, Instagram and YouTube – targeting people with a keen interest in motoring, cars and car maintenance
  • A partner toolkit for organisations in the automotive, IP protection and law enforcement sectors, to help amplify our messaging, including social media assets, template posters and fact sheets
  • A wide-reaching PR story highlighting the scale of the problem, including guidance on how businesses and consumers can spot and report fakes
A damaged car with shattered pieces surrounds the front. Text reads Fake Always Breaks and Real parts = Real protection, emphasizing the importance of genuine car parts for safety, as advocated by the Intellectual Property Office.

The impact

We delivered 227 pieces of PR coverage, 957,000 social engagements and 366 organic social shares. These results achieved strong awareness and attitudinal change:

  • 38% of the UK public said they were aware of a campaign highlighting the dangers of fake car parts
  • 27% had specific recall of the Fake Always Breaks campaign from the Intellectual Property Office
  • 74% of people aware of the campaign agreed they now better recognised the dangers of fake car parts
  • 63% agreed that they felt more confident in spotting a fake car part
  • 79% said they were less likely to buy fake car parts in future

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