ABM_1 - Flipbook - Page 31
OPINION
RETAIL
See it, Say it,
Sorted?
→ James Staunton is director at bClear Communications
I
t was the most irritating slogan
in the history of transport. Now,
the ‘See it. Say it. Sorted’ security
campaign is getting an overhaul – a
decade after being introduced.
To the chagrin of those hoping the
frequent announcements across the
UK rail network might be scrapped,
the Government has only undertaken a
mild refresh, extending to a “bold new
design” as the slogan enters a new
era. The refresh includes a “makeover”
of the posters to make the British
Transport Police’s 61016 number more
prominent, while the train and station
announcements have “had an upgrade to
make their wording clearer.”
Why the slogan stuck
Security Minister Dan Jarvis said: “‘See
it. Say it. Sorted’ has become part of
the national consciousness since it
was launched under Theresa May’s
Government in 2016 to encourage
passengers to report anything they saw
that was out of the ordinary.
“Whether you’re commuting into work
or waiting for a coffee at the station,
we’re all familiar with the message.”
From a communications point of view,
the success is clear; the campaign has
obviously achieved its objectives. The
number of reports has increased from an
average of 30,000 a year before 2015 to
more than 255,000 – which is a concrete
measure of success.
Lucy McAuliffe, Network Rail’s route
director for Sussex and crime lead for
the southern region, said: “This refreshed
campaign will ultimately keep our
railway running reliably by encouraging
passengers to be our eyes and ears.”
Judged by the number of reports alone,
that’s a fair conclusion.
Of course, the public has developed a
love-hate relationship with it. In 2022, the
then transport secretary, Grant Shapps,
called for a “bonfire of banalities” to
reduce the amount of public address
system spam rail passengers are
forced to endure. The policy sparked
widespread media coverage, putting
the spotlight on ‘See it. Say it. Sorted’,
which The Times described as “the most
irritating slogan in the history of British
transport.”
For the record, I was with Shapps all
the way, especially when trying to work
on a crowded train while constantly
being interrupted by automated
announcements, as well as train guards
who thought they were comedians.
Nevertheless, while the DfT admitted
that some Network Rail stations
in London had been making the
announcement at twice the frequency
required, the slogan was saved because
it was considered so critical to safety.
Why has it been so successful? I
think its success lies in the way it is
constructed. Many passengers believe
the ending of the slogan is an instruction
to “sort it.”
It’s an accidental example of tricolon
– where the third element of the phrase
provides the punch line. When looking
for examples of tricolon, you might think
of Dr Johnson, “Claret is for boys; port
for men; but he who aspires to be a hero
must drink brandy” or Caesar’s “Veni,
Vidi, Vici.” In the automotive space, you
might consider Jag’s “Grace. Space.
Pace” or Mazda’s “Vroom, Vroom, Vroom.”
The power of tricolon as a rhetorical
device explains why this phrase has
become something of a cultural
phenomenon – entering everyday
vocabulary. The rhythm and the
repetition are important. That’s what
makes it memorable. That’s what makes
it persuasive. That’s what makes it
engaging and easy to recall. It even
inspired See it. Say it. Sorted. The
Musical at the Edinburgh Fringe.
Before you write off good writing as
style over substance, ask yourself – of
how many public service announcements
can that be said? i
Q4 2025 AUTOMOTIVE BUSINESS
31
