At House of Oddities we talk a lot (and I mean, a LOT) about how 'difference makes a difference'. In other words, how we can make better work if people from very different walks of life can unite and collaborate. It means fresh perspectives, geat ideas, and a more united, friendlier world to live and work in too.

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Our client Oxfam has been embodying this idea since the Second World War. Its projects bring people together in solidarity to protest, work and collaborate to try to end poverty and make a fairer world for all. So when the team at Oxfam asked us to make their latest TVC – and their first hero brand campaign in almost a decade – we jumped at the chance. And we're glad we did – because messages of unity and hope have never been more necessary than right now.

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A World Divided

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Oxfam's own research of 2,111 adults by YouGov (2024) found that the UK is more divided than 10 years ago, and that this is holding us back from tackling key issues such as poverty and climate change.

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The poll found over 78% believe divisions in society are impacting progress on UK poverty, while over half (51%) agreed visions are affecting progress on climate change.

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Now, after one of the most divisive general elections in recent history, feels like a good time for a reset.

Oxfam's new 'Just Us' campaign premiered on Channel 4 in a unique slot that interrupted the Channel 4 News programme. It invites the audience to break down the ‘us’ vs ‘them’ narratives that are distracting the nation from tackling the big challenges - like poverty, spiralling inequality and climate change. 

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The centrepiece of the campaign is a 60-second TV ad that mixes a collection of archive footage from Oxfam’s past – including protests, project work and the incredible activists and partners that Oxfam work with around the world. The images are stitched together in a glitching, static-filled ‘takeover’ of audience TVs and social media across the UK in a nod to Oxfam’s heritage as an out-spoken, campaigning organisation fighting poverty and inequality. This takeover is centred around a spoken word script that starts with a powerful line from Nelson Mandela’s famous ‘Make Poverty History’ speech where he says: ‘I ask all humanity now to rise up’. 

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 ‘Just Us’' was written by HOO Co-Founder and CCO Darren Smith and directed by HOO Co-Founder and CEO Sachini Imbuldeniya. It was co-created with Oxfam’s in-house team though a collaborative process that made strong use of existing material combined with filmed footage. Legendary British trip hop artists Massive Attack provided their iconic 1998 track ‘Teardrop’ for the soundtrack. 

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The House of Oddities team assembled one of the most diverse cast and production crews to deliver the campaign with the help of Executive Producer Mali Okoi-Obuli, DOP Madeleine Penfold and talent agencies like Zebedee who are known for changing the way disability, visible difference, and gender are represented in the wider media. They also offset the carbon emissions of the entire production to minimise its impact on the environment. 

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Director Sachini Imbuldeniya says: “For too long now we’ve all been feeling the effects of an unfair world. We have allowed divisive narratives from media and politicians to keep us from being united, but together we can bring about positive change on issues from the cost of living crisis and inequality to climate change. Oxfam partners with incredible activists, change makers and communities around the world and it succeeds by creating a united, collaborative approach to problem solving. I saw this ad as an opportunity to literally ‘break in’ to our audience’s content feeds to show them what real unity can look like – and provoke not just a reaction, but real action.” 

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Writer Darren Smith says: "We too often assume that ‘unity’ means everyone having to think, feel or be the same. But I prefer the Oxfam way of being ‘united’ – where around the world people are doing wildly different things to reach a common goal. Oxfam is committed to anti-racism and feminism and this really resonates with why we formed House of Oddities. We wanted to shake up the creative industry’s traditional way of doing things by embracing collaboration and promoting greater diversity and equality – and I think if more creatives are willing to do that, then maybe we can follow Oxfam’s example and make our industry a fairer world, too.” 

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Oxfam’s Communications Director Nadiya Fyle says: ‘We’re excited to share this project with the wider world, and we believe it connects Oxfam backs to our roots as an organisation that has always combined practical action with speaking out on injustice and inequality. Our in-house creative team and House of Oddities have co-created this campaign, and we are confident it will inspire a whole new generation to take positive action on issues like inequality and climate justice, that affect us all. A huge thank you goes to Massive Attack for allowing us to use this era-defining song, and to all the professionals who supported this work.’ 

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