2025 Winter Appeal - Earworm

Client: Shelter

Shelter’s 2025 Christmas appeal creatively combined BRTV, DRTV and PR to drive fame, achieve mass media attention, the acquisition of thousands of new donors and record-breaking fundraised income that exceeded target. Breaking the mould of traditional charity Christmas appeals, it successfully fought for and gained attention against some of the highest spending commercial brands during a notoriously competitive period.

Guided by the campaign proposition ‘No-one should face homelessness alone this Christmas’, the campaign exposed the hidden reality facing families living in temporary accommodation across the UK. The hero film - Earworm - anchored its story in a universal frustration: being left on hold. Seen through the upbeat perspective of a child, the film gradually reveals the cold, damp and unsafe conditions his family endures. Tested with Shelter’s lived-experience panel, the insight resonated deeply, reinforcing the authenticity of the narrative. Creatively, the memorable use of music and the “rug-pull” structure created a powerful emotional shift, prompting outrage and generosity, and earning widespread engagement, including five-star reviews in Daily Mail’s 2025 Christmas ads roundup.