With the UK facing rising inflation and ongoing cost of living challenges, new research has revealed that over 300,000 households may be forced into homelessness in the coming year.

To draw attention to the problem, the charity Crisis has worked with adam&eveDDB ad agency and artist Sophie de Oliveria Barata to create a homeless figure named Alex, who can’t be ignored.

Weighing 2.5 tonnes, the sculpture of Alex is as tall as a double decker bus and features a unique face, which has been created via AI mapping, using the profiles of 17 real people facing homelessness. Alongside the sculpture are texts explaining the cause and QR codes that lead to a website where the public can donate to Crisis.

“Every day at Crisis we are confronted with the impact homelessness has on people’s lives and every day we see that it doesn’t have to be this way,” says Catherine Ashford, head of marketing and communications at Crisis. “But we know homelessness is an issue people find overwhelming, and while many want to see change, too many of us continue to turn away.”

“The statistics speak for themselves,” continues Mike Sutherland, executive creative director at adam&eveDDB. “Our hope is that Alex will be impossible to ignore and will raise the much-needed attention around homelessness and what we need to do to try and help solve it.”

The sculpture will be transferred to Birmingham on December 8, where it will be displayed outside the Bullring shopping centre in the city until December 12. The campaign also features a TV spot, directed by Bjarke Underbjerg, shown below.

crisis.org.uk