Let them eat cake!

There are few similarities between present-day France and the France of the 18th century, when royalty like Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette ruled the country, but today Oxfam brought them back to life to send a message to the G8 leaders.

By not following through on their aid promises to the poorest countries, they’re acting like the elite French royalty who so famously said, “The peasants have no bread? Let them eat cake!”

This is my favorite Oxfam stunt for many reasons. It represents Oxfam’s mission of understanding and working with the poorest people. 

The stunt is also edgy and it frames world leaders as oblivious to the enormous poverty in other parts of the world (which is not completely true, but the underlying message remains), while they convene in one of the most beautiful cities for a conference. Through the metaphor, the message remains that they must take care of their people. The 925 million people suffering from hunger need a global leadership that respects their dignity, and will help create a sustainable path for lifting themselves and their communities out of poverty.

As G8 leaders get ready to go to Deauville for the Summit, we hope that they arrive with a strong sense of duty to our global society! The Oxfam team will be in Deauville, as well, to bring the Oxfam message to the presses.

You can follow them via our Twitter list and check back to the G8 hub for updates!