They really said F*** the poor!😱

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Hello, Creative Souls!

When it comes to social issues, people care—or at least, they like to think they do. But does outrage translate into action? The Pillion Trust’s “F the Poor”* campaign didn’t just raise awareness; it exposed hypocrisy in real-time, proving that shock can be a powerful tool when used with precision.

Campaign: “F the Poor”*

Client: The Pillion Trust
Agency: Publicis London

The Big Idea:
Donations to UK charities had plummeted, and The Pillion Trust—facing closure—needed £50,000 fast. With no budget for traditional ads, they turned to social psychology and public spectacle to prove a point.

A street fundraiser stood in a busy area, holding a sign that read “F the Poor”*. Within minutes, passersby confronted him, outraged by the statement. But when he flipped the sign to “Help the Poor” and asked for donations? Silence. Indifference. The very people who had expressed moral outrage seconds earlier walked away.

The contrast was brutal. And that’s exactly why it worked.

Captured as a shareable online film, the campaign wasn’t just a fundraising effort—it was a social experiment that held up a mirror to the public.

Within a week, over 3 million people had seen the video. Donations skyrocketed by 1,600%, raising £163,734—more than triple their original target, ultimately saving the shelter.

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Why This Works:

1. Weaponizing Hypocrisy:

   • The campaign doesn’t tell people they’re hypocrites—it shows them. That moment of self-realization is far more impactful than any statistic.

2. Low Cost, High Shock Value:

   • A £500 budget, a cardboard sign, and a clever setup—proving that great advertising isn’t about money, it’s about insight.

3. Outrage as a Catalyst for Action:

   • People love getting angry. This campaign leveraged that initial emotional spike to make them reflect—and ultimately, to donate.

Why the Execution Matters:

Would a traditional PSA with sad music and statistics have worked? Maybe. But would it have gone viral, sparked debates, and tripled the fundraising goal? Doubtful.

By turning human behavior into the ad itself, Publicis didn’t just create a campaign—they created a psychological trigger that forced people to re-evaluate their own actions.

Execution Tips for Brands:

1. Make People Uncomfortable: If you want to break through apathy, don’t just inform—challenge.

2. Provoke First, Deliver Message Second: The shock grabs attention; the reveal drives action.

3. Turn Passive Viewers into Active Participants: Give people something to react to, so they feel involved before they even realize they’ve been pulled in.

Ideas Corner:

Inspired by F the Poor*? Here’s how brands can replicate this approach:

• Environmental Causes: Instead of saying “Save the Planet,” run an experiment where littering is encouraged, then reveal the message.

• Health Awareness: Stage an event where people ignore someone coughing heavily in a crowded space—only to reveal they have a preventable illness.

• Financial Literacy: Set up a ‘get-rich-quick’ scam as an experiment—then use it to expose the dangers of bad financial decisions.

Conclusion:

The best advertising doesn’t just tell a story—it forces a response. The Pillion Trust’s “F the Poor”* campaign didn’t just raise money; it made people face an uncomfortable truth about their own behavior. And in doing so, it worked.

Figment is written by Abbhinav Kastura, a writer/producer who has spent a decade making impactful internet videos and Guru Nicketan, an advertising nerd, B2B Marketer, stand-up comedian, and a film buff.