Through a fake reality show.
Yfoundations, NSW peak body for child and youth homelessness, and the Property Industry Foundation are tackling youth homelessness in a fake reality show campaign via UnLtd, Ogilvy and PHD.
Created by Ogilvy, the new ‘Young and Alone’ campaign exposes the raw, unfiltered experience and struggles of youth homelessness.
“We are truly blown away by the incredible support from our media partners for this critical campaign to address youth homelessness,” PHD head of research Lillian Zrim said.
“At PHD, we recognise the profound impact this crisis has on over 43,000 young Australians and the urgent need for collective action.
“Together with Yfoundations, UnLtd, and all our partners, PHD are committed to advocating for meaningful solutions and increased funding to ensure no young person is left vulnerable or unsupported.
“Thank you to our media partners for standing with us in this important fight.”
The initial campaign assets appear to be promotion for a new reality show called ‘Young and Alone’. This is not a reality show, but real life for over 43,000 young people every year, according to UnLtd.
Yfoundations CEO, John Macmillan, said that we are facing a national crisis that demands immediate attention.
“With ‘Young and Alone’, we’ve flipped survival entertainment on its head, because for young people experiencing homelessness, survival isn’t a game,” Macmillan said.
“This series confronts the raw reality too many young Australians face every day.”
The campaign has been developed off the back of new data that reveals more than 43,000 young Australians are at risk of, or experiencing homelessness, with half of the young people seeking refuge in 2023–24 being turned away due to a lack of capacity.
Ogilvy Sydney ECD Max McKeon said that this is a growing problem in Australia that needs our attention.
“43,000 young people facing homelessness, and all the troubles that come along with it, is an unfathomably large number,” McKeon said.
“The team and Yfoundations have crafted a way to show this isn’t a problem Australia can just watch play out, but rather it’s a reality that needs immediate action."
The campaign is sponsored by Ogilvy and Ogilvy PR, responsible for strategy, creative, PR, influencers and production, PHD providing media strategy and placement, Kantar supporting with creative testing and more than 20 media owners donating media inventory for the campaign.
The campaign is launching on 23 June across TV, BVOD, OOH, social, radio, PR and through influencer activity.
The media owners supporting the campaign include Alliance Outdoor Media Group, Amazon Prime, ARN, Australian Traffic Network, Broadsheet, Cartology, Foxtel Media, JCDecaux, JOLT, Nine, OA Collective, oOh!Media, Paramount, QMS, Southern Cross Austereo, Seven, Snapchat, TikTok, TimeOut, Torch Media, Uber, Urban List, Val Morgan, Vinyl Media and Yahoo.
"This is a powerful reminder of what the advertising industry can do when we use our collective influence to spotlight what’s kept in the shadows,” UnLTd director of impact Jade Harley said.
“Youth homelessness isn’t always visible - just because you don’t see thousands of young people sleeping rough doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.
“Behind closed doors, they are couch surfing, living in cars, or bouncing between temporary shelters.
“This campaign lays bare the heartbreaking choices they are forced to make every night, and the ripple effects those choices can have for a lifetime.
“We are so grateful to our partners who took their time to deeply understand the issue, before pouring considerable time, expertise and their hearts into this project.”
Campaign credits:
Creative, strategy, PR and production - Ogilvy
Production - Hogarth
Production Company - Rabbit
Director: Daniel Fletcher
Producer: Katrina Maw
Sound Design & Music Composition - Otis Studios
Offline Edit - White Chocolate
Colour Grade & Online: The Editors
Media - PHD
Lillian Zrim
Jasmine Truong
Sasha McCarthy
Clare Cannons
Gemma Dawkins
Denise Martin
Research – Kantar
Madeleine Andrews
Mathilde Pernot
Phaedra McGhie
Chloe Nguyen
Social impact - UnLtd
Jade Harley, Director of Impact
Client - Yfoundations
John Macmillan
Sam Woods
Shai Mikus
Anna Schinella
Simon Byrnes
Partner – Property Industry Foundation
Penny Kaleta
Kate Mills
Christine Campbell
