Moisson Montréal is launching its first-ever awareness marketing campaign to highlight food insecurity, a pressing issue affecting one in five people in the city.

Devised by indie agency LG2, the “The Insecurity Trolley” campaign places tiny shopping carts in a grocery store to give shoppers an idea of what it’s like to have limited options. The reactions, captured on hidden camera, reveal shock and empathy as consumers confront the harsh reality of food insecurity.

Audrey Bernier, marketing and communications director at Moisson Montréal, tells strategy that the goal was to spark a broader conversation about food insecurity through an emotive message that gets to the heart of the issue.

“Having had the chance to create this small shopping cart and place it in the hands of real people to get genuine reactions makes the campaign feel tangible,” she says. “The shopping cart illustrates the problem as soon as you look at it. Emotionally, it’s a rallying point for our cause.”

Alexandre Jourdain, partner and creative director at LG2, says the creative team aimed to stand out from other awareness campaigns by sparking genuine and powerful reactions that drive home the campaign’s message.

“Thatʼs why we chose to shoot the spot in a real grocery store, where people could be confronted with the reality of struggling to put food on the table,” he said. “Having a shopping cart that you canʼt fill adequately is a situation you can only truly understand when you experience it yourself.”

According to Moisson Montréal, the demographics of food insecurity are changing, with the proportion of families and workers relying on food aid increasing steadily. The lack of sufficient or regular access to healthy, nutritious and culturally appropriate food is forcing individuals to make tough decisions, such as choosing between paying rent, bills or affording proper nutrition. Food is often the first cost expenditure to be cut.

In 2023, 239,481 Montrealers received monthly food assistance, a number that surpasses the population of Quebec’s sixth-largest city, Sherbrooke, the organization says. Meanwhile, Moisson Montréal’s demand for food aid skyrocketed 76% over a five-year period with 999,455 monthly requests fulfilled in 2024 compared with 567,317 in 2019.

The campaign is being promoted through local billboards, TV spots and La Presse+, an interactive app for the province’s major digital news daily. The expenditure was also disseminated over many digital and social channels to supplement and expand the campaign’s reach, with ZA Communication handling the purchasing.

The work will run through July 4 with a focus on increased coverage during the first four weeks. The timing was chosen strategically, Bernier says, to coincide with a typically slow period for Moisson Montréal’s philanthropic efforts. The launch date also offers favourable media-buying conditions between the organization’s programming seasons, potentially boosting support from external parties.

As a registered charity, Moisson Montréal may be eligible for special considerations or benefits when advertising or seeking support, potentially increasing the campaign’s effectiveness.

The campaign also marks the organization’s foray into media buying, having focused in previous years on public relations, word of mouth, organic social media and partners.

“This campaign marks a strategic shift in our approach to bringing a growing concern – food insecurity – out of the shadows,” Bernier says.