Trussell Trust launches food bank appeal in real-time

Food bank charity the Trussell Trust has launched a dynamic out-of-home campaign that alerts shoppers to the real-time needs of centres in their area, under the banner of Put It On Your List.

The increased price of food is placing acute pressure on food banks which are being forced to purchase more food than in previous years as donations are not keeping up with levels of need.

While donations to food banks in the Trussell Trust network increased by 18% last year, they distributed 37% more emergency food parcels than the previous year, meaning there was still a shortfall in stock. As a result, food banks had to purchase 124% more food than in the previous year to meet the increased need.

Created by TMW Unlimited, the campaign aims to not only increase donation levels to food banks but also let people know the items that are needed most by the food banks in their local area through a contextually relevant, geo-targeted digital out of home campaign.

The creative prompts shoppers to add those items to their shopping list and drop them off at supermarket collection points, or simply scan a QR code to make a direct donation to their local food bank.

The interactive campaign was made possible by winning first prize in the charity category of Ocean Outdoor’s 2022 Digital Creative Competition, which came with a prize of £100,000 free media. It rolls out across DOOH screens in Newcastle, Manchester, Leeds and Bournemouth for two weeks.

Trussell Trust director of operations Lynda Battarbee said: “The food banks in our network are seeing unprecedented levels of need. While we are grateful for every donation people make, there are certain items food banks run out of far more frequently than others. This campaign is a great way to remind people of the ever-changing needs of our food banks and will help people to engage more effectively with what’s happening in their own local community.”

TMW Unlimited creative director Brian Brady added: “We’ve become so used to the presence of food banks that it’s easy to forget just how essential and ongoing those services are. We wanted to connect that need with local populations in a way that informs and surprises them into action. Digital OOH is a great way to tap into urgency and local pride, empowering people to solve real needs as they arise.”