Don’t Panic Says 'In Your Face, Boris Johnson!' with #StickItToTheMan Stunt
Don't Panic has never held back when it comes to confronting socio-cultural issues – in fact, that’s where it all started, with the famous Don’t Panic packs of the noughties…
Ah, the good old days. Each pack was filled with skilfully designed posters, flyers and more which tackled a political, social or cultural topic. The goal was, and still is, to get people involved in these issues, kickstarting political conversations rather than shying away from them. Boris Johnson’s recent elevation to PM, unelected, persuaded the team at Don't Panic to unleash the posters once again and hit the streets of London.
#stickittotheman
On Thursday 1st August, Don't Panic covered the streets of London with Boris Johnson’s face and some handy instructions: ‘simply stick your gum and go’. The #stickittotheman stunt is an opportunity for people to have a little fun whilst also giving them a platform to demonstrate their grievance to the appointment of this non-elected Prime Minister.
What in gum's name are you doing?
Well, the Local Government Association reported in 2017 that the clear-up of chewing gum can cost the council up and above of £60 million. This got the Don't Panic team thinking... can they clean up these ghastly, gum-ridden streets and get people talking about politics too? Yes, yes they can.
At least cleaning up gum is one problem Boris might be able to solve, with Don't Panic's help of course. Taking a leaf out of Boris’ book - his mantra is: “there are no disasters, only opportunities,” after all - Don't Panic seized on an opportunity for protest and proactivity. The #stickittotheman posters offer the chance for pedestrians to peacefully protest while cleaning up our streets, one piece of gum at a time.
Senior creative at Don’t Panic, George McCallum, said: “It can be easy to feel helpless and ignored when faced with our current sticky political situation. The posters allow people to enjoy micro-moments of civil disobedience, having their voices heard whilst keeping our pavements clear of gum.”
Joe Wade, co-founder at Don’t Panic, added: “We believe agencies shouldn’t just understand and appreciate culture and politics but that they should take part in it on behalf of their clients or for themselves." Joe sees the stunt as a nod towards the power of print, and how it can leverage reach, generate PR and get people engaged in a refreshing way.
You can find the posters up and around London now. Gum at the ready...
