#FirstWorldProblems Are Not Actually Problems
Global advertising agency, DDB, takes the reigns in stunting an on-going Twitter trend known as #FirstWorldProblems in order to create awareness of more detrimental global issues – like the lack of clean water. This trend, intended to be funny, gives tweeters the leeway to complain about the smallest inconveniences in daily life as a ‘first world citizen.’ And although it may seem innocuous at the moment, DDB New York discovered that 5 of these tweets are created each second.
“I’m sorry you were awoken by your cleaning lady. I hope today is better,” one of the Haitian responders says.
DDB partnered up with nonprofit organization WATERisLIFE in order to harness the hashtag in the service of those who are suffering from less hilarious kinds of problems. The agency travelled with a film crew to Haiti and filmed a handful of local reciting a series of 30 #FirstWorldProblem tweets. Even further, DDB has been tweeting these recordings right back to the original authors of those tweets. The campaign gathered pace over the weekend, receiving over 800,000 views since October 3. These messages close with a call to action, asking the joke makers to donate money to WATERisLIFE, which goes toward creating water solutions and rebuilding communities.
Some people are not responding as positively to the approach DDB took, claiming the agency does not understand the irony of the hashtag. However, DDB Creative Director Matt Eastwood shares ”We totally understand the irony of it. People are doing it as a joke. It leads to a desensitization around the issue.”
