Ad of the Day: Concern Worldwide’s fake news bulletins call out wealthiest to end poverty
“Space can wait: magnate gives to end extreme poverty.” It’s the kind of headline that many wish they were waking up to, but unfortunately this is fake news. Concern Worldwide, a non-profit dedicated to helping the world’s poorest people, has teamed up with global creative agency Fred & Farid Los Angeles in its first-ever US campaign. The series calls out income inequality and puts the heat on the world’s wealthiest individuals and organizations to do more in the fight against poverty.
According to the charity, around 150 million people are trying to survive on less than $1.90 per day. Meanwhile, billionaires including Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson are racing to space.
The hard-hitting spot has generated over 50 made-up headlines that focus on real, tangible things affluent and powerful members of society could do to help the world’s most vulnerable people.
Utilizing the language, sentence structure, typography and layout design typical of a major news corporation, each headline appears to be real until it lands upon the genuine call to action: ‘#UnfortunatelyFakeNews. Until it’s real, please donate.’
Social media platforms are a notorious breeding ground for fake news, which Fred & Farid has cleverly played on for a good cause.
“No one person, government or organization can solve income inequality and extreme poverty on their own – we must all work together,” said Colleen Kelly, Concern Worldwide US’s chief executive officer.
“Meaningful change requires all of us to recognize our individual responsibility and use our available resources intentionally, so they have a positive impact on the world. With ‘#UnfortunatelyFakeNews’ we hope to bring more awareness to our crucially important mission of ending extreme poverty, whatever it takes.”
To drive the message even further, ‘#UnfortunatelyFakeNews’ will also appear in high-profile, strategically-placed OOH units in major cities.