#FirstWorldProblems

One of the best campaigns I've seen in a long time was run by a charitable organization called Water is Life. The campaign was termed #firstworldproblems and it quickly went viral. Here’s why.

Water is Life turned a commonly used social media trend and turned it around into something positive. #firstworldproblems hashtag is generally used by people when they want to complain about something that would happen only in the developed world. The use of hashtag implies that the person knows it isn't a ‘real problem’, but it quickly caught on and became a social media trend. It is used commonly on Instagram, Facebook and heavily on Twitter.

Water is Life Campaign

The video below features adults and children from Haiti reading out tweets written by those who are more fortunate, but are complaining nonetheless. In the video, a man outside a small home with a tin roof says “I hate it when my house is so big, I need two wireless routers." In another scene, a young girl near a stream with women washing clothes in the background says solemnly “When I leave my clothes in the washer so long they start to smell." 

The video takes the viewer on a guilt trip for using this hashtag and focuses their attention to the actual cause being promoted. It reminds them how lucky they are of living a life of comfort.

The campaign quickly went viral and it isn't difficult to understand why. It gives a stark comparison between the two worlds and shows a mirror to the viewer. The video has racked up more than 6.7 million views and every major news outlet has covered them, including the BBC, CNN and The Guardian.

"#FirstWorldProblems Are Not Problems," the text at the end of the video reads. "Donate to help bring clean water to those in need."

"People are becoming desensitized to suffering and we needed to enter the social space with a provocative approach to get those who are lucky enough to have simple things such as water, food, and shelter to reflect on their 140 characters and support causes like WATERisLIFE," said Kristine Bender, the executive director of Water is Life.