Instead of simply changing our light bulbs to pink to show support for the cause, we did something more. We wanted to stop people in their tracks. So we set up a “peep show” in our lobby windows, which caught the interest of onlookers, as it was such an unexpected sight to see in downtown Chicago. When people peered into our exhibit, they saw girls but not the ones they were expecting. Instead, they were faced with mannequins painted with devastating statistics about the disease and were challenged to do something about it. We vowed to donate a dollar every time the hashtag #HavasPeepShow was used. The disruptive but powerful nature of the Peep Show got people talking about the exhibit and sharing the hashtag all over social media. The successful installation created a social conversation for good, and did it in a way no one else dared to try.

During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we set up a peep show inside the lobby of Havas Chicago. Those who peeped into our installation saw girls--but not the ones they were expecting. Instead, they were faced with mannequins painted with different devastating statistics about this disease. Also prominently displayed in our windows was a sign urging viewers to post about their experience online using the hashtag #HavasPeepShow. We promised to donate a dollar every time it was used. The provocative and controversial nature made it hard to ignore and easy to share.

The installation ignited social media within a single day, and by the end of the week, the hashtag was used and shared in thousands of posts. The #HavasPeepShow garnered local press coverage, and traveled beyond the borders of Chicago, gaining national and international attention as well. In total, people posted and shared #HavasPeepShow over 18,000 times and, in return, Havas Chicago donated over $18,000 to breast cancer research. Aside from the monetary aspect, if the installation reminded one woman to schedule her annual doctor’s appointment or conduct a self-exam, then the agency was successful in creating meaningful disruption.