The Public House Transforms Dublin Skyline in Christmas Appeal for Trócaire

Featuring a striking banner that changes the face of Liberty Hall, and an advent calendar unlike any that have come before, this Christmas campaign marks the start of The Public House’s relationship with Trócaire.

For over 50 years, Trócaire has been working hard to bring about lasting change and transform the lives of millions around the world. Throughout this time, Trócaire has always relied on the generosity of the people of Ireland to fulfil their mission.

The brief for Trócaire’s Christmas Appeal was simple: raise vital funds to help children caught in conflict around the world. However standing out at the most crowded time of the year was not going to be simple. Not only are big brands spending big, other very worthy organisations are asking people for their help this Christmas too. Therefore, The Public House needed to find a way to cut through and deliver a message to our audience that they couldn’t ignore.

Utilising a trompe-l'œil approach to outdoor advertising, The Public House designed a giant banner which would transform Liberty Hall into the kind of decimated building that is so often seen in conflict zones around the world. From a ruined window, a single child looks out across Dublin. The striking piece of work quite literally brings home for Irish people the reality of children living in conflict.

The campaign, which runs across TV, digital, and outdoor, also lives on social channels: in the form of an empty advent calendar.

Unlike what we’ve come to expect, ‘The Hopeful Advent Calendar’ doesn’t feature chocolates or trinkets. Instead, each door offers an opportunity to give a gift rather than receive one.

From solar lamps to school lunches, the 24 empty boxes represent 24 ways in which the public can give something back this Christmas.

Sarah Kieran, fundraising and marketing officer said, “It’s been a pleasure to work with Public House on our first campaign together. They were appointed as our creative agency following a competitive tender process, standing out for their innovation and clear passion for our work. That enthusiasm has been evident throughout the Christmas campaign - from fresh, creative ideas to excellent account management and strong attention to detail. It’s been a very positive start to our partnership, and we’re excited about what we can achieve together.”

Rob Maguire, ECD at The Public House, said, “It’s an incredible pleasure to work with the team at Trócaire - with the world around us feeling increasingly chaotic, it’s more important than ever for vital organisations like Trócaire to get their message out there, in a way that will really resonate with the public. We’re honoured to play a part in that mission.”

This work is another example of the agency’s anti-formula approach to building attention grabbing work that is in line with their philosophy that ‘Boring Doesn’t Sell’. The independent creative agency works with a diverse portfolio of ambitious clients including FBD Insurance, EPIC: The Irish Emigration Museum, 48, Cadbury and Barnardos.