Standard Bank Auto Teller Machines (ATMs) offer students a cheaper alternative to scratch-card vouchers for loading airtime onto their mobile phones. To raise on-campus awareness of this, we constructed a conspiracy theory linking scratch-cards to organisations like the Illuminati. The theory suggests that they use scratch-cards to gather personal data from the user – in order to manipulate the masses for ill gain. This information was leaked to students by M.A.D., our self-created Movement Against Deception. M.A.D. also happened to leak the only way to combat the conspiracy – by using secure Standard Bank ATMs instead.

Overnight, M.A.D. messages and website URLs were spray-painted around campus and pamphlets were placed in lecture halls, washrooms and canteens.

A week later, we conducted a poster blitz highlighting consequences of scratch-cards – from missing people to the mirror ball effect – on low quality prints for underground feel. Campus radio was interrupted by militant M.A.D. hijackers urging listeners to use secure Standard Bank ATMs.

Underpinning the entire campaign was a specially created M.A.D. website – unbranded and packed with links detailing compelling scratch-card conspiracy theories and the simple solution: recharge at Standard Bank ATMs to escape the clandestine evils of scratch-cards.