# Suicide-Simulating Billboards A Volunteer Ad Lets You Pick Up the Phone to Save a Girl By Alexander Lam | Published 2013-06-26 | Marketing Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/volunteer-ad References: [psfk](http://www.psfk.com/2013/06/suicide-prevention-ad-subway-phone-booth.html) & [adsoftheworld](http://adsoftheworld.com/media/ambient/samaritans_let_us_not_miss_a_single_call) A volunteer ad campaign to recruit more staff for the [Samaritans](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/brew-monday) support line lets pedestrians save a virtual girl by picking up the phone. Developed by a team at London's [Central Saint Martins School](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pappas-restaurant-weeks), the ad aims to simulate the same difficult situation that Samaritans volunteers face. The ad features a [video billboard](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/3d-billboards) with a girl on the verge of suicide. After she picks up the phone to make a call, a payphone next to the ad begins ringing. If you pick up, a pre-recorded voice thanks you and then encourages you to become a volunteer for Samaritans. If nobody answers the ringing phone, the virtual girl is seen swallowing sleeping pills and then collapsing. It then states, "Let us not miss a single call." ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 4.0/10 - Popularity: 49% | Activity: 63% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Marketing](https://www.trendhunter.com/marketing) > [Interactive](https://www.trendhunter.com/interactive) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Virtual Volunteer Ads:** Using interactive billboards to simulate scenarios and engage viewers in volunteer recruitment. - **Emotional Advertising:** Creating impactful ad campaigns that elicit an emotional response from the audience to convey a message. - **Innovative Outreach Strategies:** Exploring creative methods to reach potential volunteers and raise awareness for important causes. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Advertising:** Opportunities for advertisers to leverage interactive and emotional campaigns for impactful messaging. - **Volunteer Recruitment:** The use of immersive and engaging techniques to attract and recruit volunteers for various causes. - **Mental Health Support:** Innovations in outreach methods to raise awareness and provide assistance for individuals struggling with mental health. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Mental Health Awareness Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/itv.md) - [Interactive Recruitment Billboards](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/recruitment-billboards.md) - [Interactive Sandwich Billboards](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sandwich-billboard.md) - [Serotonin-Boosting Billboards](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/soglar.md) - [Mock Social Good Fashion Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/not-models-own.md) - [Billboard-Transformed Tent Shelters](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lifesaving-outdoors.md) - [Interactive Snacks Billboards](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/grab-and-go-billboard.md) - [Grief-Focused Voicemail Solutions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/missed-calls.md) - [Interactive E-Waste Billboards](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cash-for-trash.md)