Shelter Scotland
GRANS KNOW BEST
A campaign for Shelter Scotland calling for greater investment in social housing, translating a straight-talking political message into bold, fun, attention-grabbing visuals across outdoor and social media.
Campaign concept · Socials · Graphic Design
THE INSIGHT
Housing policy can feel distant and political, but the need for a safe and affordable home is something people understand instinctively.
The “Grans know best” idea uses a familiar, trusted voice to cut through political messaging and turn a complex issue into something immediate, relatable and human.
THE CHALLENGE
With the Scottish election approaching, Shelter Scotland needed to make social housing a difficult issue for politicians and the public to ignore.
The challenge was to communicate a serious message about safe, affordable homes in a way that felt direct, memorable and relevant to everyday people, while creating a campaign system that could work across both physical and digital spaces.
THE CONCEPT
GRANS KNOW BEST
The campaign puts older women at the heart of the message, using humour and recognisable personalities to challenge politicians on housing.
Rather than presenting social housing through statistics alone, the campaign gives the issue a human voice, one that feels confident enough to say what needs to be said.
The visual system was designed to be bold and instantly recognisable, allowing the campaign to move seamlessly between large-scale outdoor advertising and social content.
THE VISUAL LANGUAGE
Bold typography, high-contrast layouts and character-led campaign imagery give the work a confident, conversational tone. All remaining in the distinctive Shelter branding
The visual identity balances humour with urgency, allowing the campaign to grab attention without losing sight of the seriousness of the issue.
The same core elements were then adapted across billboard and social formats, creating a cohesive campaign that could remain recognisable wherever it appeared.
