Ga je aan of ga je uit? Campaign for a safe nightlife
Length
2 min. readtime
Date
22 October 2025
No violence, intimidation or nuisance when going to town at night. Unfortunately, that’s not always a given. That’s why the municipality of Valkenburg aan de Geul, the local police and the hospitality sector are working together to promote going out safely. Youth safety is a key theme in this effort. Young people often push boundaries, but aren’t always aware of the risks. The awareness campaign Ga je aan of ga je uit? (Are you switched on or switched off?) taps into this.
Co-creation with the target group and stakeholders
How do you develop a campaign about safe nightlife for young people without sounding strict or pushy? By engaging with the target audience and discovering what’s really going on. In the research phase, we spoke to young people, youth workers, bar owners, secondary schools and enforcement officers in Valkenburg. These insights were the foundation of our campaign strategy. The strategy was to encourage young people to take responsibility themselves for a safe and fun night out. This is reflected in the tagline Ga je aan of ga je uit? The accompanying message Safe nightlife? Your vibe sets the tone provides context and makes the message crystal clear.
10 tips to help each other to stay safe
How do you create a safe and enjoyable night? To put words into action, the campaign offers practical guidance. From conversations with the target group, we distilled 10 practical tips for safe nightlife. These are highlighted in the campaign materials and can be found at the accompanying campaign website.
The goal is to foster dialogue and collaboration, rather than a top-down approach.
Peer-to-peer communication is the creative concept
We kept things simple and tapped into something the target group is very familiar with: chat and app messages. This strengthens the peer-to-peer nature of the campaign, like a dialogue between friends. For that reason, we deliberately chose to not include the logo of the municipality or other partners. Young people also had a say in this part of the process. We asked for their feedback on the visual style and tone of voice, and refined the concept accordingly.
Launch of the campaign
We created posters, saddle covers for bicycles, clean graffiti stencils, handlebar tags, T-shirts, Admirror ads and a website. Stakeholders were also considered: we created a manifesto signed by the partners and compiled a toolkit for organisations that work closely with young people, such as schools and clubs. This way, everyone can easily help spread the campaign message.
