THERE WAS NO doubt what the Irish TV event of the week was going to be: the return of Gogglebox Ireland to TV3 last night.
Homelessness charity Focus Ireland knew this, because they cleverly premiered a short film about youth homelessness, giving it a full ad slot three-quarters of the way through the popular fly-on-the-wall show.
It was a powerful, heartbreaking watch
It tells the story of one woman – Lucy – from two completely different perspectives. One shows her leaving State care with assistance from Focus Ireland and the other having no such support system
The footage cuts between these two Lucys – highlighting the crucial role charities play in the fight against youth homelessness
While U2′s Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own plays in the background to dramatic effect
It was completely unexpected – replacing standard ads with a harrowing short film on a massive social issue
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Over three minutes dedicated to the topic on primetime TV
It prompted people to donate to the cause, and won praise across the board
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It provoked as much social media reaction as the show people had tuned in to watch
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And the ad finished with a sobering stat
You can read more about Focus Ireland here, and donate to the campaign here.
