Anti-slavery charity Unseen launched a poster and social media campaign in London and Bristol today to raise funds to save its modern slavery helpline, and highlight the plight of hidden slaves.

The #UnseenStories campaign, created and part-funded by creative agency Aesop, uses a classic highlighter colour to stand out on social media and outdoor advertising, an agency spokeswoman said.

The campaign urges people to change their profile picture to fluorescent green as a statement of support for the victims of modern slavery in the run up to Anti Slavery Day 2019 on Friday. The aim is to raise £800,000 to save the modern slavery helpline, which is under threat due to "political uncertainty".

The posters use a 'story-in-story' technique to expose the lies people are told to lure them into slavery. Lenticular printing makes the story change as the viewer's perspective changes. For example, the romantic phrase “I lost myself to the nightlife and bright lights in London”, transforms into the stark “I lost my life in London.”

In addition, in Bristol, where Unseen was founded, bright green projections will light up homes across the city, highlighting the often ‘hidden-in-plain-sight’ nature of modern slavery. This scattering of green light across the city will be put on in partnership with local production agency Okoru Events, the charity said. 

Aesop donated the agency Christmas party budget to help fund the campaign.

Unseen is privately funded by voluntary sources including trusts, policing authorities and corporate sponsors, but the charity said that political uncertainty and tough economic circumstances have seen this funding fall putting the charity, its helpline and thousands of modern day slaves in peril.

Since the helpline’s launch in 2016, over 15,000 modern slavery victims have been identified. More than 7,100 suspected victims of modern slavery were identified across the UK in 2018 alone, with Romanian nationals comprising the largest victim group, Unseen stated.