Creating safe spaces for homeless people
Challenge
Hamburg is one of the wealthiest cities in Europe. And yet 43 homeless people died last year in the Hamburg alone. An unacceptable situation for Hamburg’s homeless aid organisation, Hinz&Kunzt. But how to save the most underprivileged in our society when there seems to be no money for them, even in a wealthy city like Hamburg?
How mobile billboards became a safe emergency shelter
Solution
To avoid depending on donations or public funds, we took something, that is available in every major city: mobile billboards. And we converted it into a safe emergency shelter for the homeless, that even pays for itself with ads: the City Life Billboard.
At the same time, we remind people of the shameful fact that people still have to die on the streets of Hamburg. Plus, we call on all citizens of Hamburg to join us in completely eradicating homelessness by 2030 – at the latest. #NullBis2030 (translated: #ZeroTill2030)
Before the campaign even started, we convinced brands like Kellogg's, LinkedIn, Rügenwalder Mühle and Das Futterhaus to buy ad space on the City Life Billboard. This covered the production costs were after just a few weeks so that we can save lives permanently.
The City Life Billboard struck a social nerve. Homeless people found a safe place to sleep and became the new talk of the town in Hamburg. But they weren't the only ones: With 171 press coverings from 27 countries, we reached 36.9 million media impressions within a week and 2.66 Mio. contacts with the billboard in Hamburg.
And we even made a profit that fully went into a project fund that helps Hinz&Kunzt to get the homeless off the streets long term.
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