The homeless sector is finally recognizing the importance of narrative change, but the execution has been deeply flawed. Instead of developing fresh, creative approaches to connect with the public, the sector is hiring corporate communicators and academics who continue to push outdated strategies that maintain the status quo.
This failure isn’t just a missed opportunity—it’s a dangerous setback at a time when public support for criminalization is growing, and support for housing solutions is declining. We cannot hope to shift the public’s understanding of homelessness through webinars, jargon-heavy panels, or slogans that no longer resonate. To truly change the culture, we need bold, creative, and innovative messaging campaigns that connect with how people actually communicate today.
Messaging Can Change Culture—If We Do It Right
History has shown us that marketing campaigns can redefine cultural norms and behaviors. Consider these examples:
Coca-Cola’s Santa Claus Coca-Cola didn’t invent Santa, but its marketing campaigns in the 1930s and 1940s solidified the image of Santa as a jolly, red-suited figure who slides down chimneys to enjoy milk and cookies. This branding effort permanently shaped how we celebrate Christmas.
De Beers and Diamond Engagement Rings In the 1930s, diamond engagement rings were far from standard. A savvy marketing campaign by De Beers changed that, embedding the idea that a diamond is essential for engagements. By the end of the 20th century, 80% of engagement rings contained diamonds, and a “two-month salary” spend became the norm—all thanks to marketing.
Denver Water’s “Use Only What You Need” Campaign Denver successfully reduced water consumption by 21% five years ahead of its goal through a simple but creative campaign that reshaped public attitudes about water use. This is proof that messaging can drive tangible, measurable outcomes.
Lil Nas X and “Old Town Road” Lil Nas X took a $30 beat and, with no resources, turned it into a cultural phenomenon by creating memes and launching the YeeHaw Challenge. His grassroots approach not only catapulted the song to global fame but also engaged middle-class white youth to promote the track—a powerful example of creativity driving massive engagement.
The Plastic Recycling Myth Oil companies knew they would face pressure from environmentalists, so they launched a proactive campaign promoting plastic recycling—even though only 5% of plastic is actually recycled. This marketing effort successfully shifted the cultural narrative, making recycling a personal responsibility and deflecting criticism from the corporations producing plastic.
The Current Approach Is Broken
The homeless sector has invested millions in narrative change efforts, but the results have been disappointing. Why? Because the strategy has been driven by corporate communicators and academics who are disconnected from the realities on the ground. Their efforts often feel sterile and overly cautious, failing to inspire the public or challenge harmful stereotypes.
Messages like “housing is a human right” may be true, but they’re not effective on their own. People have heard these phrases so often that they’ve lost impact. To change minds, we need to break through the noise with messaging that feels fresh, relevant, and engaging.
As the old adage goes, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” Yet, this is exactly what the sector continues to do—relying on outdated, ineffective methods like webinars and overused slogans. If we keep walking this path, we’ll continue to fall short of creating the transformative impact we desperately need.
The Path Forward: Bold and Collaborative Innovation
We have the potential to change the culture around housing and criminalization. To do this, we must:
Think Outside the Box The days of safe, predictable messaging are over. We need to experiment with creative storytelling, humor, and even controversy to capture attention. Look at how campaigns like Denver Water’s or Lil Nas X’s leveraged simplicity and relatability to reach massive audiences.
Harness the Power of Self-Benefit Messaging The recent election highlighted two critical lessons: public perception polls are flawed, and self-benefit messaging works. Self-benefit messaging—appealing to what directly impacts or benefits an individual—was a cornerstone of Trump’s success. It taps into emotions like fear, security, and personal gain, effectively mobilizing voters. Nonprofits must learn from this approach. Messaging that focuses solely on helping homeless individuals risks alienating people who don’t see how the issue affects them personally. Instead, we need to highlight the shared benefits of solving homelessness, such as safer communities, reduced taxpayer burdens, and the permanent removal of encampments. By connecting solutions to public self-interest, we can shift the conversation and garner wider support.
Collaborate with Marketing Experts Nonprofits can no longer afford to rely solely on traditional strategies. By partnering with private market agencies—professionals who understand consumer behavior—we can craft campaigns that resonate deeply and reach wide audiences.
Center Lived Experience The most powerful stories come from people with lived and living experience of homelessness. Amplifying the stories of both currently homeless and formerly homeless individuals is critical because both perspectives matter. The stories of formerly homeless people validate that evidence-based solutions work and inspire hope that homelessness can be solved. At the same time, the stories of people still experiencing homelessness build empathy and urgency, motivating the public to take action. These voices need to be at the forefront of any narrative change effort, connecting with audiences on a human level that corporate communicators cannot replicate.
Work Together on a Coordinated Messaging Campaign Philanthropy and nonprofits have a tremendous opportunity to come together and create a coordinated messaging campaign that is creative, bold, and rooted in how people actually communicate today. This effort will require collaboration, pooling resources, and thinking differently about storytelling and audience engagement. By working together, we can move beyond fragmented efforts and build a united, impactful narrative that reaches people on a national—and even global—scale.
Invest in Media Publishing and Storytelling In addition to working together on a unified messaging campaign, nonprofits need to embrace the tools they already have to tell their own stories and build their own audiences. Legacy media still has value, but relying on it to shape narratives is outdated, especially in today’s rapidly evolving communication landscape. To truly engage people, nonprofits must produce content that audiences actually want to watch and share. Stepping away from stale, generic messaging and creating compelling stories that resonate emotionally or entertain. Every nonprofit starts with an audience of one and grows from there, but this kind of investment also contributes to the larger national narrative. When nonprofits prioritize innovative storytelling, it strengthens the overall campaign and helps drive the cultural change we need.
Hire Content Creators, Not Just Communicators While corporate communication practices may still play a role, nonprofits need to adapt to the changing ways people communicate today. TikTok has been a growing news source in America for the fifth year in a row, and YouTube has surpassed Netflix and Disney as the most popular app used on televisions. Nonprofits must engage content creators who know how to tell stories that resonate with the public and build audiences. This means hiring people with expertise in creating dynamic, engaging online video content—not just film producers or traditional communicators. The skills needed to succeed in today’s media environment involve understanding platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, where audiences consume and share stories in real-time. By investing in creators who understand these tools, nonprofits can develop content that reaches and inspires a broader audience.
Reimagine How We Measure Narrative Change Funders are currently measuring—and therefore valuing—the wrong things when it comes to narrative change. Traditional metrics often fail to capture the dynamic nature of content creation, audience engagement, and the influence of digital culture. We need new frameworks that reflect today’s communication landscape, where influencer culture, viral content, and audience interaction drive real change. It doesn’t make sense to hold onto status quo nonprofit outcomes when communication methods have transformed so drastically. Funders must be willing to embrace more nuanced and forward-thinking metrics that align with the evolving ways people consume and respond to content.
Commit to Sustained Effort Cultural change doesn’t happen overnight. We need a sustained, dynamic messaging campaign that evolves with the times and remains relevant to shifting public attitudes.
Why This Matters Now
The stakes have never been higher. The push for criminalization is gaining momentum, while public support for evidence-based solutions like housing and supportive services is eroding. If we fail to act boldly now, we risk losing the narrative war entirely—and with it, the chance to build a more compassionate, effective approach to ending homelessness.
With a new Trump administration coming in, the push for forced homeless camps is expected to grow even more aggressively than it already has. Propaganda, misinformation, and bad actors advocating for the criminalization of homelessness will continue to shape public perception, sowing fear and mistrust. This misinformation is not just a passing threat—it risks permanently dismantling the public’s willingness to support housing as the solution to homelessness.
We have a very short window of time to influence the public conversation and steer it toward compassion, evidence-based solutions, and long-term change. If we don’t act now, we may never recover the widespread support for housing as a key strategy to end homelessness. This is not just about winning a messaging battle; it’s about preserving the possibility of solving homelessness altogether. Let’s work together to make it happen.
Simply put: we’re not going to change the narrative with more webinars or by repeating slogans that no longer inspire action. We need to embrace creativity, invest in collaboration, and commit to an innovative, ongoing messaging effort that meets people where they are. The time for bold action is now. Let’s work together to make it happen.
Invisible People
We imagine a world where everyone has a place to call home. Until then, we strive to be the most trusted source for homelessness
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