Action­Aid ​‘Bol­locks to Pover­ty’ campaign

Exhibited by
ActionAid UK.
Added
June 11, 2010
Medium of Communication
Event, online
Target Audience
Awareness, social change campaign
Type of Charity
Children, youth and family
Country of Origin
UK
Date of first appearance
August, 2002

SOFII’s view

This is a very brave campaign. It talks directly to young people in the language they use everyday and fearlessly makes the issues of poverty relevant and personal for young people, with no punches pulled. It’s a delight to see a charity with such an urgent cause taking this line – full marks to those who created the campaign and a smidge of credit too to their managers and trustees for allowing it to go ahead, undiluted.

Creator / originator

The phrase originates from a young ActionAid volunteer.

Summary / objectives

Bollocks to Poverty started as an irreverent slogan designed to capture the attention of young festival-goers. Its popularity was such that it has evolved into an over-arching campaign engaging young people, raising their awareness about global poverty and giving them the means to help end it. Bollocks to Poverty is about tapping into people’s energy and passions – music, travel, friends, adrenaline – and giving them the opportunity to use these to support ActionAid.

Background

In 2002 ActionAid won the opportunity to be the main charity presence at Reading Music Festival and were looking for a slogan to sum up ActionAid’s mission and purpose in a way that would appeal to young festival-goers. A young ActionAid volunteer piped up and said “why don’t you just say Bollocks to Poverty?” and the ‘Bollocks to Poverty’ campaign was born.

Special characteristics

The straight talking, irreverent tone of “Bollocks to Poverty” is pretty unique in the charity sector.

Influence / impact

Festivals

Thousands of young people have shouted Bollocks to Poverty at festivals and taken action on HIV & AIDS, hunger and corporate abuse. Bollocks to Poverty will be appearing at 02 Wireless, Underage, Field Day and of course Reading:

The Bollocks to Poverty tour

Hundreds of people have put on their own Bollocks to Poverty events, using their events to raise awareness and / or money for ActionAid: www.myspace.org.uk/bollockstopoverty.

A young ActionAid volunteer piped up and said, "Why don't you just say bullocks to poverty?" And so the "Bullocks to Poverty" campaign was born.
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Direct and in your face – is there any other way to fight the obscenites of poverty, hunger and injustice? Click on the screen to see the pillow fight, and just wish you were there.
Click photo to view video.