This project started when we found ourselves in a tough spot at our agency. Without interesting briefs on our hands, with nothing to look forward to or feel proud of, we decided to contact an association for the homeless (O CASA) and offer them our ideas.
They were over the moon about it and shared with us an interesting fact: The thing most wanted/needed by the homeless during Christmas time is a Christmas gift. (Since there’s a surplus of food and the basic necessity items, as they’re donated throughout the entire year.)
We came up with a simple project that touched people and made everybody look at the homeless population as humans beings with wishes and dreams just like everyone else:
What if a Christmas tradition from the ones that get the most, can help the homeless get a little more? That’s right, we got the homeless to write their own letters to Santa.
THE HOMELESS WROTE LETTERS TO SANTA, TO MAKE SURE THEIR WISHES WEREN’T FORGOTTEN.
Casa, an NGO that helps the homeless population contacted us with a problem: How to get people to offer Christmas gifts instead of clothes and food to those who live on the street? So we thought: What if a Christmas tradition from the ones that get the most, can help the homeless get a little more? That’s right, we got the homeless to write their own letters to Santa.
+ The Letters
More than 200 letters were posted online and got adopted in less than 2 weeks.
We ended up with way more than your average Christmas gift, we got job offers, flight tickets and VIP concert tickets gifted by the playing band.
+ Film
In the film we trick the viewer to believe we’re narrating a letter to santa from a child, however in the very last second we reveal it was actually written by homeless person.
+ Media Coverage
We got free media coverage.We were interviewed on radio stations, featured on news outlets, and got to talk about the campaign on one of the most viewed morning shows in Portugal.
Brands organically and voluntarily jumped on board and donated their products to the homeless population.
+ Street Stunt
To create buzz we sprea gigantic christmas stockings in the trees of Lisbon. Inside them you could find the letters written by the homeless and know more about the campaign.
+ A heart-warming surprise
One night we found dozens of letters written by kids directed at the homesless with messages of encourgament.
This was organized in secret by teachers from nearby schools, after they saw the campaign on TV.
AFTER LAUNCHING THIS INITIATIVE BACK IN 2017, THE NGO DECIDED TO REPEAT IT EVERY YEAR AND EXPAND IT TO OTHER CITIES OF PORTUGAL. WE’RE ON THE 3rd EDITION.
