Missing People takes aim at true crime culture

Missing People has launched a campaign with BBH London and Merman that challenges the way true crime turns real lives into entertainment.

The charity’s latest work arrives as appetite for the genre continues to grow, while someone is reported missing in the UK every 90 seconds.

Its premise is clear: behind every headline, podcast or docuseries is a family living through uncertainty, not a plotline built for ratings.

At the centre is a long-form film directed by Rachel Stubbings and produced with Sharon Horgan’s Merman. Set inside a writers’ room, it follows characters played by Paterson Joseph, Anna Crilly and Rosie Cavaliero as they weigh up missing persons cases for their entertainment value.

The sting is that every case discussed is real.

Alongside the film, Missing People is launching a Responsible Narratives Charter, urging creators to approach these stories with greater care and respect.

The wider campaign includes out-of-home work styled as case files, complete with detached producer notes, and a boxset sent to influencers and media titled Top Five Cases You Won’t See On TV.

Inside is nothing – a pointed reminder of the stories that go unseen.

It is a sharp piece of work with an uncomfortable message.

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