This Campaign Drops the F-Bomb to Promote Flexible Working

An eye-catching new outdoor campaign by U.K. organization Digital Mums sets out to shock with banners like " "Is today the day you ask your boss to do some f******** work?" and "Ever thought about f******* working?"

Created pro-bono by Iris, the effort actually promotes the idea of "flexible" working and not the other F-word. It aims to drive social awareness amongst both employees and employers about the benefits of flexible work, and encourages people to pledge their support by petitioning the government to change how "flexible working " is officially defined.

Earlier this year, Digital Mums commissioned exclusive research among over 2,000 adults in the U.K., showing how employees (and millennials, in particular) would like flexible working. It found 7 in 10 (68%) U.K. employees want flexible work but over half fear it would be viewed negatively by their employer, and only 12% have actually asked their current employer for it.

The campaign will run across digital OOH across the UK, thanks to space provided by 8 Outdoor Media and digital advertising screens in post offices nationwide thanks to space provided by Naber Media.

Elinor Vasiliou, a creative at Iris, says in a statement: "The creative campaign uses look-twice lines to poke ridicule at the taboo around flexible working. Because the facts show, there are serious benefits up for grabs for both employees and employers when they embrace flexibility. We hope it gives people courage to drop the F-bomb and kickstart a culture shift."