CLIENT: Eva’s Initiatives for Homeless Youth
TARGET: Torontonians
THE BRIEF: How do we make people care about homeless youth enough to donate?
People have all kinds of preconceived notions about homelessness. Particularly when it come to homeless youth, they think: what is this able-bodied young person doing on the street? They must just be lazy, entitled, or a drug addict.
These prejudices and false assumptions lead to apathy.
The fact is, a lot of Toronto’s homeless youth end up that way by having to escape unsafe or abusive conditions at home. Many more are forced to flee after coming out to their family as LGBT, and being cast out of their homes. There’s only so much couch surfing they can do before they end up out of options, and on Toronto’s harsh streets.
CONCEPT: A fresh start.
Let’s tell these young peoples’ stories, and highlight why they need and deserve a fresh start. By forcing the audience into the shoes of Eva’s youth and the choices they’ve faced, the audience will have their biases challenged, and understand the factors that lead to homelessness.
This understanding will foster empathy and drive action.
We completely rebranded Eva’s, and created an awareness campaign that was displayed all across the city, focusing on the impact a fresh start can have on a young person’s life. The campaign was wildly successful and featured in both Marketing Magazine and Strategy Online. It exponentially raised brand awareness and led to a 400% increase in donations that year.
OUT-OF-HOME VIDEO
Displayed at Yonge & Dundas Square and on multiple TTC subway platform screens throughout Toronto.
THE OUT-OF-HOME/PRINT CAMPAIGN
We utilized the medium to maximize emotional impact.
ABOVE: Out-of-home posters placed within the Eaton Centre mall.
BELOW: Ads placed in restaurant and bar bathrooms across the city.
THE WEBSITE
Building Eva’s a brand new site, we positioned them as an impactful driver of change for Toronto’s homeless youth. Not a band-aid solution, but a full life overhaul with lasting results.
