OVERVIEW
Big oil greenwash, celebrity gossip, government favouritism… mainstream media is no longer a trustworthy source of news. Corporate media is instead peddling the agendas of those who line their pockets.
We’re proud to launch the new membership campaign BEYOND THE BULLS#!T with The Bristol Cable to give corrupt media the finger🖕 and to ask YOU – the lovely people of Bristol – to #BackTheCable to keep proper journalism alive.
To kick things off, we launched some (very subtle) billboards around Bristol to call out mainstream media that’s corrupted by corporate interest (who’s spotted one?!).
THE PROBLEM
The Cable is holding power to account through groundbreaking investigations, campaigning for change and amplifying marginalised voices. Without independent, investigative media we risk losing truth, integrity, and diverse perspectives.
Currently, whilst The Bristol Cable has been successfully producing high quality, independent journalism since 2014, and has received international recognition, the publication is still heavily reliant on grant funding, and they wanted to build a more sustainable organisation by increasing revenue from members.
Whilst the Cable has a fantastic reputation both in the UK and around the world for its independent, investigative journalism and member-owned model, they felt their impact and support within Bristol could be stronger.
The Bristol Cable appointed If Not Now as their partner agency to collaborate on developing a creative, engaging, and most importantly, effective campaign that helps increase their membership and ensure the Cable’s future.
THE SOLUTION
Most people, particularly in Bristol, are aware of media and government corruption, and that mainstream media is no longer a trustworthy source of news. People are angry with corporate media, and rightly so. Instead of honest, factual reporting on climate change, mainstream media pushes oil industry narratives. Instead of uncovering the truth about government corruption, the media talks about celebrity gossip. Instead of reporting on the refugee crisis with integrity and honesty, the media just stirs up hate. Poverty, healthcare, income and wealth inequality, strikes and trade unions, the right to protest are all real issues facing the British public, but these are not reported on honestly or fairly.
But independent, investigative news outlets like The Bristol Cable are the solution.
We wanted to harness people’s anger towards mainstream media and galvanise them to support The Cable if they want real, honest journalism. This was a powerful way to showcase and celebrate The Bristol Cable’s investigative journalism, whilst also inspiring people to become a member.
IMPACT
BEYOND THE BULLS#!T nailed the client brief. Through the campaign creative and key messaging we were able to show Bristolians (and non-Bristolians) that the future of independent, hard-hitting media is in their hands. If they are anti-corporations, anti-oligarchs, anti-bullshit then it’s time to #BackTheCable and become a member.
