Branded content has always had roots in film; film and documentaries have long been used as platforms for social commentary and change in American society. This campaign used film, in conjunction with other elements, to shift perceptions of homeless people and to ignite debate on how solving the problem benefits society as a whole.

Because this campaign was hosted online in the USA, there were no significant regulations or restrictions imposed on the project.

We invited real Los Angeles investors to hear a business pitch, and filmed their reactions after revealing a homeless person as a “unique investment opportunity.” Then our pitchman revealed that he was a formerly homeless heroin addict and Weingart graduate, who is now a small business owner employing five people. We seeded the film on YouTube and embedded it on www.investinla.org. We posted the website and film on reddit to spark debate on the issue and targeted formerly homeless celebrities on Twitter by tweeting the film at them while they were active on their accounts, bettering our odds for retweets.

We launched our film alongside the hashtag, #investinLA with a Twitter blitz to Los Angeles influencers the week of March 9, 2015, getting retweets from formerly homeless celebrities, Jewel, Rose McGowan and other influencers like George Lopez, Guy Kawasaki and CNNs Michael Martinez.

We posted the content on Reddit sparking a huge debate on the issue of homelessness and the Weingart solution, garnering over 1160 comments, 3740 upvotes and breaking into the top 5 worldwide on Reddit’s Front Page.

In the first two weeks of the campaign, the redesigned Weingart website received over 27,000 views and investments increased 346%.