Star roles for luxury shoplifters

17 July 2015 - 02:10 By Olivia Lidbury, ©The Daily Telegraph

Luxury department store Harvey Nichols, in London, has taken an unusual approach to advertising its rewards scheme - releasing CCTV footage of shoplifters in action in its stores. Going on the premise that tongue-in-cheek campaigns are the most effective, this one goes by the slogan 'Love freebies? Get them legally'.The message is that downloading the "Rewards by Harvey Nichols" app is a much better way to bag a freebie than thieving stock from its shops.The campaign features real-life shoplifters caught in the act and being reprimanded by the store's security teams.Humorously, and to protect the thieves' identities, the shoplifters have been given a ''cops and robbers" cartoon makeover.Shadi Halliwell, group creative and marketing director of Harvey Nichols, said: "We wanted to create a campaign that plays on the universal truth that everybody loves a freebie."By downloading the app, our customers are sure to be spoilt, the legal way, with fabulously stylish treats."..

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