![\"bestreamwise-s\"](\"https:\/\/www.cryptocabaret.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/bestreamwise-s.png\")
From its initial launch and relentless coverage in the media for a solid 18 months, there had to be something more to the BeStreamWise anti-piracy campaign than initially met the eye. <\/p>\nFrom its initial launch and relentless coverage in the media for a solid 18 months, there had to be something more to the BeStreamWise anti-piracy campaign than initially met the eye. <\/p>\n
Anti-piracy campaigns come and go; BeStreamWise made itself comfortable in people\u2019s living rooms, took over the Sky remote, and even now still refuses to leave. <\/p>\n
Those who took refuge online found little respite. BeStreamWise has maintained a constant media presence, especially via the national tabloids, their regional partners, plus online-only publications known for their social media reach.<\/p>\n
Interestingly, zero coverage by the BBC. Not a word. Even more unusual given that the campaign\u2019s partners include the BBC itself and the UK government, via the Intellectual Property Office, which prominently mentions the campaign on its website\u2026.absolutely nowhere?<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n Today we present a sample of what we have learned about the campaign and those involved since September 2023. A slightly different format than usual with plenty of images, in keeping with the campaign itself.<\/p>\n \u201cSky partnered With marketing agency Weber Shandwick<\/a> to create the BeStreamWise brand, educating consumers about the risks from illegal streaming websites. The Sky Anti-Piracy team needed a website to tie into a UK-wide TV, online and out-of-home advertising campaign.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Photographer Henrik Knudsen<\/a> worked with Weber Shandwick and Nice Shirt Films<\/a> to create the assets for the out-of-home and digital campaign. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n Special effects were created by BOOM CGI<\/a> and the BeStreamWise campaign website, hosted on the Sky Websites platform, is powered by ContentStack which can provide useful insight<\/a> on user interactions.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The BeStreamWise YouTube channel contains only three videos. The launch video (center) received relatively few views, just 2,600 in total. The 30-second campaign video (left) has performed well with 863,000.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n That\u2019s nothing when compared to the 15-second variant that is targeted, at least in part, at viewers known to have searched for infringing content. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n A total of 7.6 million views so far and still counting shows the reach of the campaign. How many pirates viewed the video more than once isn\u2019t clear but on a strict one-to-one basis, that figure is getting close to every pirate in the country.<\/p>\n The big question is this: they may have seen the campaign but did they listen closely enough to absorb the message?<\/em> For that matter, what exactly is the message?<\/p>\n Several months ago, a Sky employee updated colleagues on a successful campaign; an anti-piracy campaign with relevance as a cybersecurity awareness drive. The campaign was described as follows:<\/p>\n The campaign is a fresh take on anti-piracy messaging and likens illegal streaming to leaving your digital front door open. The tag line, \u2018Illegal Streams Let Criminals In\u2019, acts to remind consumers of the risks involved in illegal streaming from malware and viruses to fraud, theft or even identity theft. While also directing consumers to safe and official streaming pathways<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The model chosen to underpin the entire campaign is especially interesting;<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The COM B (Capability, Opportunity, Motivation, Behavior) model is a behavior change framework that suggests successful behavioral modification requires the following elements (descriptions tailored to the campaign, our analysis, not Sky\u2019s)<\/em><\/p>\n 1. Capability<\/strong>: 2. Opportunity<\/strong>: 3. Motivation<\/strong>: 4. \u0336P\u0336R\u0336O\u0336F\u0336I\u0336T\u0336 Successful behavioral modification<\/strong><\/p>\n After waiting three months in the hope that Sky would release the results to the public, we came to the conclusion that in all likelihood, the results of the campaign are probably destined for private consumption. We have no fine details but from the information available, certain targets were met and the campaign appears to have been viewed as a success.<\/p>\n Terms used to sum up:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 Earned media<\/strong> publicity through promotional efforts, not paid advertising Whether a campaign is considered a success when measured against increased sales of legal products is never discussed in public; there\u2019s no reason to believe BeStreamWise will be any different. Regardless of the outcome, nobody can accuse Sky of not putting in the effort and the targeting appears to have been pretty much flawless.<\/p>\n Finally, a short comment on \u2018Enforcement communications\u2019, which appear to be linked, in whole or in part, to hundreds of mostly sensationalized, misleading, or otherwise disappointing stories in the media, concerning illegal streaming, arrests, prison sentences etc. <\/p>\n Some may believe the end justifies the means, but filling the public consciousness with anything other than a best effort representation of the facts, simply kicks the piracy problem down the road for another day. <\/p>\n People should be concerned about malware, credit card fraud, and identity theft, so that\u2019s a valuable message to have sent. But take that away, people still aren\u2019t scared about piracy.<\/p>\n From: TF<\/a>, for the latest news on copyright battles, piracy and more.<\/p>\n![\"bestreamwise-members-cmp\"](\"https:\/\/www.cryptocabaret.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/bestreamwise-members-cmp.png\")
<\/center><\/p>\nCreating the BeStreamWise Brand<\/h2>\n
![\"best1-compress\"](\"https:\/\/www.cryptocabaret.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/best1-compress.png\")
<\/center><\/p>\n![\"best2-compressd\"](\"https:\/\/www.cryptocabaret.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/best2-compressd.png\")
<\/center><\/p>\nBeStreamWise Video Campaign<\/h2>\n
![\"bestreamwise-youtube\"](\"https:\/\/www.cryptocabaret.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/bestreamwise-youtube.png\")
<\/em><\/center><\/p>\nHoly Grail of Campaigning \u2013 Modify People\u2019s Behavior (COM B Model)<\/h2>\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.cryptocabaret.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/bestreamwise-com-b.png\")
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\n\u2013 Psychological and general ability to perform the desired behavior
\n\u2013 Understanding that illegal streaming carries risks
\n\u2013 Understanding potential cybersecurity threats<\/p>\n
\n\u2013 Social and physical environment that enables the desired behavior
\n\u2013 Availability of accessible legal streaming alternatives
\n\u2013 Highlighting easy ways to access legitimate content<\/p>\n
\n\u2013 Brain processes that energize and direct behavior
\n\u2013 Emotional and reflective motivation towards risk avoidance (cybersecurity threats)
\n\u2013 Fear around potential consequences of illegal streaming (malware etc)<\/p>\nHow Did the Campaign Perform?<\/h2>\n
\n\u2022 OOH (Out-of-Home) Advertising<\/strong>: Billboards, street furniture, public transport etc
\n\u2022 Earned activations<\/strong>: Marketing initiatives that generate organic engagement
\n\u2022 Enforcement communications<\/strong>: See below<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n![\"besttreamwise-success\"](\"https:\/\/www.cryptocabaret.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/besttreamwise-success.png\")
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