Advertising and Marketing: Shelter (Charity)

Advertising and Marketing History: Shelter (Charity)

Founded in 1966, Shelter is a UK charity providing services related to homelessness and poor housing.
For decades, Shelter has used advertising and marketing campaigns to raise awareness about homelessness and housing issues in the UK.
The charity collaborated with advertising agency Leo Burnett in 2009 on the campaign “House of Cards”, a stark portrayal of the housing crisis affecting British families.

Brand and Marketing Strategy

Shelter’s strategy centres on addressing and abolishing homelessness, and increasing the public awareness about the depth of the housing crisis.
Their campaigns often use real-life stories and testimonials to create empathy and evoke emotion among viewers.
The #BuildSocialHousing campaign used stories of real people experiencing housing problems and aimed to inspire viewers to petition politicians for better housing policies.

Audience and Consumer Behaviour

The primary audience for Shelter’s campaigns are empathetic individuals who are likely to donate or engage with policy changes.
Campaigns aim to induce a sense of empathy among the public, promoting awareness and urging them to donate or take action.
Shelter’s campaigns have helped to shift societal attitudes towards homelessness by portraying it as a systemic issue rather than an individual failing.

Advertising Techniques and Aesthetics

Shelter’s advertisements often feature visual metaphors to depict housing insecurities, such as the fragile house of cards used in the “House of Cards” campaign.
The advertisements commonly include emotionally impactful imagery and stories to invoke empathy and galvanise viewers to action.
The charity typically employs a relaxed but forceful tone to communicate the urgency of the situation, while not overwhelming or scaring away potential donors or activists.

Channels of Promotion

Shelter utilises a mix of traditional and digital channels to promote their campaigns.
Television and radio advertisements, billboards, posters and direct mail are used to reach a broad audience.
Via digital channels such as their website, social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter), and email newsletters, Shelter engages with younger audiences and provides regular updates on their work.

Critiques and Controversies

Shelter faced criticism in 2015 over their ad claiming that “3 million households are one paycheck away from losing their homes”. Some claimed it was misleading, but the charity defended it saying they wanted to expose the true scale of the housing crisis.
The charity has also grappled with broader critiques of the sector including issues of transparency, impact measurement and effectiveness of campaigns.