One Campaign : Mandela Make Poverty History

Thousands gathered live in Trafalgar Square
12,000+ views on ONE Campaign’s Instagram Reel within days of publication
Coverage: Referenced in Prime Minister’s Questions by two Members of Parliament Live broadcast coverage: ITV1 · BBC1. Editorial coverage: The Guardian · Devex · The Rest Is Politics podcast

Twenty years after Nelson Mandela delivered his landmark speech in Trafalgar Square calling on a generation to “Make Poverty History”, ONE Campaign returned to the same location with a powerful projection advertising activation that reimagined his message for a new era.

POW created and delivered a large-scale projection mapping experience on Nelson’s Column. It turned one of London’s most recognisable landmarks into a beacon for global action.

The immersive installation projected Mandela’s words and campaign messages above Trafalgar Square. It created a striking reminder of the ongoing fight against extreme poverty. It also highlighted the fight against preventable diseases.

The projection stunt marked 20 years since Mandela’s historic address. It was the centrepiece of a wider social impact campaign. The campaign called on the UK Government to protect and strengthen international aid commitments.

As a fully permission-based activation, the campaign was delivered with City of Westminster approval. This ensured the projection took place safely and responsibly in one of the UK’s most significant public spaces.

Our in-house studio created engaging content adhering to ONE brand guidelines and embracing the challenge of a complex canvas to deliver bold visuals. It brought Mandela’s message back to Trafalgar Square with strong visuals throughout the day of the festival.

The permission-based campaign combined the urgency of activism with the scale and authority of a landmark projection. It created a moment that resonated with campaigners, politicians, the media, and the public alike.

A coalition of international development and humanitarian organisations supported the activation. Activists from Concern Worldwide, Restless Development, RESULTS UK, Stop AIDS, WaterAid, UNICEF UK and ONE marched. They went from Central Hall Westminster to the Houses of Parliament. There, they met MPs. They called for stronger UK leadership in international development. This included commitments to Gavi and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

The projection was the main focus of the day’s activities. It brought together advocacy, public engagement, and media attention on one creative platform.

By combining projection mapping technology with a globally recognised landmark, the campaign stood out. It also shared a message about social change. This showed how creative communications can increase political and public engagement.

The activation generated significant national attention and delivered measurable impact:

• Two Members of Parliament referenced the campaign during Prime Minister’s Questions, demonstrating direct engagement with the campaign’s message.
• National broadcasters ITV1 and BBC1 reported live from Trafalgar Square during the activation.
• Editorial coverage appeared in The Guardian, Devex and The Rest Is Politics podcast.
• ONE Campaign’s Instagram Reel featuring the Trafalgar Square projection generated more than 12,000 views within days of publication.
• Campaign partners held over 40 meetings with Members of Parliament. They urged the UK to keep leading on international development. They also called for strong funding for global health.

The campaign showed how projection adverts and large-scale projection mapping can change public spaces into platforms for advocacy. It created memorable moments that lasted beyond the live event. These moments then shaped political debate, traditional media, and social channels.

POW don’t tick boxes, they push envelopes. Whatever the brief, whatever the timeline, they show up with creativity, passion and a can-do attitude that means ideas don’t gather dust, they actually get executed.

I was in Trafalgar Square in 2005 when Nelson Mandela called on the world to make poverty history. It was one of those moments you never forget. Twenty years later, POW brought it back to life, filling the square with people and leaving every one of them inspired. They didn’t just deliver a projection, they put on a show!

When we needed them to turn around a campaign activation on the Houses of Parliament at short notice, they didn’t flinch. They pulled together a talented team, made it happen at record speed, and got the attention of those in power right from the start.