Twitter users give ActionAid’s MegaMouth plenty to shout about

ActionAid’s search for slogans for Saturday’s Put People First march has brought in a stream of creative ideas, with many contributions arriving through the social networking site Twitter.

Some slogans called for action on climate change. Many expressed outrage at poverty and inequality and, predictably, exasperation with bankers.

Galvanising the creativity of the public has been a megaphone-toting character in superhero garb, named MegaMouth, who claims to be from the planet Justice.

MegaMouth has been out in all weathers on London’s streets this week (23-27 March) mingling with shoppers and office workers and asking for their views about world poverty, climate change and the recession. Tomorrow he will join ActionAid’s contingent on the march through London for ‘jobs, justice and climate’ organised by leading charities and trade unions.

MegaMouth has also been a lively presence on Twitter urging everyone contribute a slogan. The challenge is to say it all in no more than 140 characters – the limit for a Twitter message.

Some anger at banks and bankers was to be expected, but after the ritual kick at the financiers most slogan-writers went on to say something about poverty and inequality. Sasha’s ‘To the banks, no thanks! To the poor give more!’ echoed the well-mannered anti-nuclear slogan of the 1970s, ‘nuclear power, no thanks’.

‘Put people first’ was a popular sentiment. ‘Put people first! It’s as simple as that!’ said Joanne, and from Jenny came ‘Put people’s need above banker’s greed’.

There were jokes – "The G20 walks into a pub... and we buy the beer" – and puns of which “Hey G20 LEAF our planet alone, we’re SYCAMORE you lot doing nothing when WILLOW you listen?” was one of the less appalling examples.

That one was from 'EdWoodlandTrust' who also offered "Don’t bail out the bankers, bail out the planet. Take action on climate change."

In another green message, 'Sam' urged someone, perhaps Barack Obama, to "be a winner not a climate sinner".

The US president was an obvious target for slogans. Unfortunately, not many words rhyme with ‘Obama’. 'Mel' started off well but got into difficulties: "Obama Obama let’s have some drama: stop the bonuses, feed the world and give us more Bananarama."

However, another of Sam’s micropoems,"‘Poverty issues make me reach for the tissues"’ seems heartfelt, and not just a desperate attempt to rhyme.

'Sharon’s' contribution was definitely heartfelt: "I’m a mother wondering WHAT to feed my child today. There are mothers wondering WHICH child to feed today."

A few people wanted MegaMouth to pass on unrelated messages such as "I love you Mum! Sorry I forgot mothers day".

But it was Julien, in France, who summed it all up with: "Forget the financial crisis, fix the human crisis."

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For more information or to arrange interviews contact Tony Durham on 020 7561 7636, mobile 07872 378251, Twitter: rhamdu

Notes to editors

Print-quality photos are available at www.actionaid.org.uk/media/pictures

A press kit including other releases, video and web-quality photos, can be downloaded from www.actionaid.org.uk/megamouth

There are four ways to submit a slogan:

- text ‘SHOUT’ followed by the message to 80010

- use the web page www.actionaid.org.uk/megamouth

- use Twitter – see www.twitter.com/themegamouth

- give the slogan to MegaMouth face to face on the street.

More information about the Put People First rally at www.putpeoplefirst.org.uk