JCDecaux Community Channel supports In Kind Direct to change perceptions on hygiene nationwide

Billboards around the country ask the public if they’ve showered today, to raise awareness of hygiene poverty.

Did you know 9 million people in the UK are experiencing hygiene poverty, meaning they have gone without essential hygiene products (soap, shampoo, toothpaste, period products and more) because they can’t afford them?

In Kind Direct – a charity that distributes donated hygiene products to thousands of charitable organisations UK wide – has launched its first Out-of-Home campaign in partnership with the JCDecaux Community Channel to raise awareness about hygiene poverty.

Hygiene poverty has a huge impact on peoples’ mental health and their ability to go about their daily lives with 20% feeling embarrassed or ashamed to leave the house. Despite the scale of the issue, fewer than a third of UK adults have heard of the term hygiene poverty.

The Out-of-Home creative uses direct messaging that subverts the perception of hygiene products as being ‘a given,’ or even a luxury, with copy such as “Showered today? Lucky you.” And “A good hair day is a treat. Shampoo isn’t.” Other assets speak to the scale of the problem to drive audiences to think about the people in their own lives, such as “you probably know a family that share a toothbrush.”

We want to raise awareness of hygiene poverty so more people feel comfortable both asking for and providing support. The JCDecaux Community Channel is an amazing initiative enabling us to reach a huge audience and get our message out in the mainstream. The more we can get people thinking and talking about hygiene poverty, the more we can reduce stigma and provide support where it’s needed. Libby Howle Marketing Manager at In Kind Direct

I wanted the creative to make people question the idea of what’s normal, what’s expected, and what’s a luxury. We’re proud to have tackled the creative challenge of highlighting hygiene poverty and building empathy for people experiencing it. Zoë Dawson Creative Lead, Shape History

We are proud to be supporting In Kind Direct, raising awareness on how hygiene poverty can impact people up and down the country. The JCDecaux Community Channel creates real value through the power of the public screen and aims to amplify Out-of-Home’s role as a force for good in the community. Chris Dooley Head of Social Impact at JCDecaux UK

The campaign is running throughout November across Out-of-Home digital billboards UK-wide. For more information click here.

Source: YouGov; ONS