How would you feel watching a man experience mild hypothermia? According to science, your body temperature will lower by up to 1-degree. It’s called temperature contagion and it happens when you see or hear someone who is suffering from the cold.
Neuroscientist Neil Harrison explained, “We believe that this mimicry of people’s bodily response helps us understand how they are feeling. Mimicking another person is believed to help us create an internal model of their physiological state, which we can use to better understand their motivations.”
Be warned, it’s also quite distressing to watch:
Wunderman Thompson wants Australians to experience this kind of empathy. 9000 Western Australians experiencing homelessness are facing cold winter nights and the Anglicare WA 2021 Winter Appeal needs donations to help them. So the agency has released a chilling (I know – pun, sorry) video with actor, Liam Graham, best known for his starring roles in Greenfield and The Heights experiencing mild hypothermia after spending one hour in a commercial freezer.
In the campaign, created by Wunderman Thompson, with support from Soundbyte and Alucinor, Liam Graham’s body temperature dropped to just 33.7 degrees before recording the spots.
“Much like yawning, feeling the cold is actually contagious. So, when Mum or Dad would say ‘put a jumper on, you’re making me cold’, they weren’t joking. Trust me,” Graham stated.
Anglicare WA chief executive officer, Mark Glasson, commented, “We’re so pleased to partner with Wunderman Thompson and some great local talent for this year’s Anglicare WA Winter Appeal. Their brilliant creatives have developed a cutting-edge campaign designed to engage the audience and prompt an empathetic response towards those experiencing homelessness.
“Anglicare WA walks alongside people in their time of need. Currently, our state is in the grip of a housing crisis never seen before, with at least 9,000 people experiencing homelessness.”
Wunderman Thompson’s Anais Randall, Matt Wilson, and Luke Williams, who headed up the campaign, added, “We’d like to thank everyone involved in making this happen. It’s been a labour of love over many months, and it wouldn’t have been possible without some great people pulling together for an important cause. We really encourage everyone who can spare a few dollars to donate to Anglicare WA’s Winter Appeal by texting ‘WARMTH’ to 0400 662 662.”
Credits:
Agency: Wunderman Thompson Perth
Senior Creative: Luke Williams
Associate Creative Director: Matt Wilson
Creative Director: Joe Hawkins
National Chief Creative Officer: João Braga
Engagement Manager: Anais Randall
Integrated Producer: Danny Coleman
Chief Partnerships Officer: Melanie Wiese
Managing Director: Gavin Bain
Client: Anglicare WA
Chief Executive Officer: Mark Glasson
Director Philanthropy and Enterprise: Tori Anderson
Media and Marketing Manager: Emma-Jane Morcombe
Philanthropy Manager: Bec Stott
Marketing Lead: Polly Polanksi
Marketing Events Manager: Bronte Rosher
Production: Shane Piggott @ Alucinor
Sound: Soundbyte Studio
Sound Designer: Brad Habib
Sound Assistant: Colin Graham
Sound Recordist: Joanne Marie Carwardine
Medic: Deanne Coxall
IGA: Greg Brindall
Talent: Liam Graham