Teens on the Street

Cause: Teen Homelessness
Client: Pathfinder's Teen Homeless Shelter

It was bold, and in some circles seen as controversial. It even sparked a handful of 9-1-1 calls. But the provocative Serve campaign which placed life-like stickers of homeless teens in bus shelters, storefronts, on top of taxi cabs and billboards around the city of Milwaukee in November also accomplished its mission of increasing both awareness and support of Pathfinders

The campaign, which put stickers of homeless teens sleeping in front of busy, stores, movie theaters, coffee shops, restaurants, government buildings and arenas created a media frenzy. The stickers were so lifelike and attention getting, even the police were compelled to stop and investigate. The campaign generated over 21 million ad impressions and 4 million earned media impressions. Because of the increased awareness, the organization saw an amazing 21% pop in funding in 2008, as well as a whopping 47% increase in new donors. At the same time, calls offering everything from beds to volunteer services flooded the Pathfinder’s phone lines in November and December.