Austin, Texas – Advertising agency BBH New York created a charitable campaign initiative called Homeless Hotspots that turned homeless people into wifi hotspots at the SXSW conference this month.
The campaign set out to propose a replacement of the street newspaper model that supports homeless people in cities. Thirteen homeless people were given 4G devices that broadcast a wifi signal, and people outside the conference who wished to use the internet could make a donation and log on.
This is an interesting example of a brand taking a stand. Some regard Homeless Hotspots as controversial but, as explored in our Brandstanding microtrend, companies and organisations need to stand up for what they believe in during the Anarconomy Decade.