Advertising is not considered the most humble profession in the world. The perception of our industry is led by sensational protagonists like Don Draper and Roger Sterling of Mad Men. Hardly the charitable bunch.
The times they are a changin’, however. Advertising is moving toward a trend of social impact, and design is at the forefront of the initiative. The movement to use design as a tool for altruistic endeavors, what some call “social design,” is more than a platform for developing great, seemingly selfless portfolio pieces. No, this shift has become a vehicle for the unique influence design can have on communities. Coupled with the cumulative research the advertising industry has acquired over decades of demographic and statistical data, it’s a wonder where the disconnect was.
With this shift, some agencies are moving toward specializing in creating social change. The inherent nature of social media and crowdfunding – both defining products of this generation – are an indicator that society wants to engage and be inclusive with each other. We’ve discovered this here at AdEase while working on projects like the Know the Signs campaign for the California Mental Health Services Authority. We’ve rebranded suicide prevention. That’s something we’re proud of, not because it’s great work, but because it has made a positive impact in California.
As we see society move more and more toward accepting social change, we look forward to the potential our industry can have on bigger issues and causes. Watch the video below and see what some industry leaders are doing to push the movement forward:
AIGA Video | Design for Good
