Abstract

The Atheist Bus Campaign has been a runaway success, with more than £150,000 raised in online donations and 800 buses across in the UK in early 2009 emblazoned with the slogan “There’s probably no god. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.” Religious groups ran counter-campaigns, a bus driver refused to drive an atheist bus, and the Advertising Standards Authority was called on to judge whether the ads were permissible (the atheists won). The campaign has now also gone international with similar initiatives starting in Spain, Italy, Germany, Netherlands, Finland, Croatia, Canada and Australia.

Jon Worth was one of the two founders of the Atheist Bus Campaign. A freelance website designer by profession he has been responsible for all of the online campaign activities from the very start in June 2008. He’ll explain the reasons why the campaign worked, something that should be of interest whatever your beliefs.