Craig David Relives Old Memories in Powerful Shelter Campaign

National housing and homelessness charity Shelter has launched a new film starring British music icon Craig David, as part of its campaign for the government to invest in social housing to end homelessness in England. The campaign is supported by Yonder Media on media buying and planning.

The film follows Craig David as he revisits his childhood social home with his mother Tina. Conceived, directed and produced by Shelter’s in-house creative team the film follows a nostalgic Craig as he reflects on how having a stable and secure home played a pivotal role in shaping his life and career. In the film, Craig performs three songs from his celebrated debut album-7 Days, Walking Away, and Fill Me In - from the living room of the flat, all of which were written in that very home.

The film is supported by a high-impact campaign in Westminster calling on the government to urgently invest in social housing. For this phase, Shelter invited members of the public from across England to share their reasons for why the government must build more social homes. These messages were brought to life in creative executions styled as handwritten notes to the Chancellor, calling for greater investment in social housing - using real voices to lend the campaign authenticity and urgency.

To ensure the campaign was impossible to ignore in Westminster, Yonder Media devised a targeted media strategy built around the daily routines of MPs and civil servants. Outdoor ads were placed in and around Westminster tube station, supported by a Metro cover wrap released on 19th May, distributed exclusively at key stations serving Parliament and government offices. To extend the campaign’s visibility, Shelter messages appeared on coffee cups in local cafés, clean graffiti stencils on pavements, and even on beer mats in nearby pubs - ensuring the message reached policymakers from their morning commute to after-work drinks.

Paid media amplified the campaign further, with Spotify, Meta, and TikTok ads using Craig David’s content to spark national conversation and keep social housing on the public agenda.

Helen Jones, creative director at Shelter, said, “Our brief for the social housing campaign was to make a big impact on a small budget. To do that, we took a two-pronged approach. We wanted to work with Craig David because of how pivotal social housing has been to him and his career - his story brings authenticity and emotional power to the film, helping us connect with the public in a meaningful way. As well as creating national impact through the film, we also wanted to ensure the message reached those with the power to act. That’s why we focused on visibility in Westminster - on tube platforms, pavements outside offices, in cafés, newspapers, and even on beer mats- wherever politicians might be.”

Ed Cox, founder and managing director at Yonder Media, said, “It’s been fantastic to work with Shelter to bring Craig David’s story to life and highlight the urgent need for investment in social housing, while also rallying public support. We’re equally proud of the campaign’s focus on reaching policymakers in Westminster. Our media strategy ensures the message is seen and heard throughout the day - on commutes, during breaks, and even in the pub - demonstrating the strength and persistence of Shelter’s social housing campaign.”

Homelessness has hit an all-time high, with over 165,500 children currently homeless in temporary accommodation. The film and Westminster activity launched on Tuesday 6 May, ahead of the June Spending Review, marking a critical opportunity for the government to reverse decades of underinvestment in social housing and end the housing emergency.

The campaign was created by Shelter’s in-house creative team, including Helen Jones, Rhys Dando, Srinath Mogeri, Seb Howling, David Simons and Cem Hashimi. The film was directed and produced by Millie Harvey and Dan Stockmann. Photography by Millie Harvey.