Stampen Media launched a social experiment – Visible Thoughts

Stampen Media – Visible Thoughts

Fake news, fast news and filter bubbles are big challenges within todays media landscape. They all create a narrower, twisted view of our world and have led researches to warn against growing prejudice in our societies.

The solution, they say, is unbiased and well-researched journalism.In order to create awareness of the growing prejudice in our society and the polarisation that it inevitably leads to, Stampen Media launched a social experiment in Gothenburg, Sweden called Visible Thoughts.

During the experiment, people off the street were invited to sit down on a chair placed in the middle of a shop-window, exposed both to passers-by and people following the event online. People were then able to label the person in the shop-window by answering a set of questions – knowing nothing about them bar their appearance.

The answers were projected in real time in the shop window and online.

Over 6000 people took part in the experiment. It not only created awareness around the subject in Sweden, it made people realise how lack of knowledge feeds our prejudices. Because only real knowledge and a better understanding of the world we live in can prevent us from keep judging each other.

The goal of the campaign was to start conversations around prejudice and to encourage people to want to get to know one another, outside of their own bubble. If we can make people realise that we all carry prejudice, we can also increase tolerance for what is considered different.

Credits:
Client: Stampen Media
Agency: Stendahls, Gothenburg, Sweden