Goodvertising are social good campaigns that offer the possibility to reach out and connect with people around issues that matter to them; campaigns with the potential to make a positive difference while truly distinguishing the brand. Check out 10 of Thomas Kolster's favorite social good ads from 2018 and see how brands and businesses are using creativity to do well by doing good.Although 2018 has witnessed a proliferation of such campaigns, yet for the sake of brevity the ones selected by Thomas Kolster stand as examples of brands (and agencies) that dared to make a mark, through simple yet caring and inspiring brand story.
As tourism is taking its toll all over the world on the environment, it’s great to see a tropical paradise demanding its visitors to pay respect. The campaign has done well across the award circuit and it’s well deserved with its simple, but powerful execution. I’ve always loved scalable ideas - and this one has a potential to make an even bigger impact across the world. Please someone copy-paste!
The ad industry is definitely not alone in coming up with great ideas. The brewery giant Carlsberg came up with a simple solution to the plastic problem: they got rid of the six-pack ring and rather glued the cans together in what they call a Snap Pack. Often the simplest ideas are the most impactful.
I really liked how one supermarket chain, Carrefour, dared to go up against European legislation and fight for something that’s getting increasingly important: bio-diversity. It’s a difficult topic to tackle, but by opening everyone’s eyes to the natural, diverse and exciting choices that normally aren’t allowed inside supermarkets one stunt did create lasting, legislative change.
Creativity shouldn’t be limited to the constraints of a 30-second film or the size of a print ad, but always strive to solve problems even if they seem, at the beginning, impossible. It’s often the voiceless that’s being exploited or oppressed, but this campaign cleverly gives the Ecuadorian nature the legal representation needed to fight back!
The charitable sector is often very conservative and stuck in a donation mindset.
This idea provides a sustainable income for the homeless, but also gives them the much needed life skills and self-confidence that’s needed to one day find a new path forward. More ideas like this one is needed as people are feeling a donation fatigue.
The unprecedented attack on journalism in 2018 is a threat to our democratic societies. We need journalism to keep those in power accountable. Forbidden Stories provides a much needed collaborative tool for journalists to show those in power that no story can be silenced. And it shows how our industry can use creativity in new ingenious ways.
Not every noteworthy campaign comes from our industry as every man or woman, girl or boy can be an advocate for change. And so was 15-year-old Greta Thunberg as she spoke for her generation at the COP24 climate summit, following a school strike in August, which has inspired more than 20,000 students in more than 270 towns and cities in countries including Australia, the UK, Belgium, Japan, and the US.
Women’s rights are still an all-important topic and in many countries they’re far from given. I really want to pay credit to Nissan for the #SHEDRIVES campaign in Saudi Arabia, as women finally have the right to drive but still has to fight societal taboos. This campaign is a first step in the right direction. I hope this is not a cheap, insincere one-off, but Nissan keeps to shine a light on women’s rights.
There’s been similar campaigns playing with the meaning of a word or symbol that blatantly show the stronghold of the patriarchy, but I like how this campaign take a 360-approah to the topic and how one supermarket chain dares to put values before profit.
As every brand these days are trying to jump on the pink bandwagon and fight for women’s rights the great campaigns are far between. Blood normal took a bold approach and turned one of advertising’s oldest clichés the blue liquid into a cut-through conversation starter. Kudos. That’s exactly what creativity should do; make us see the world in a different perspective.
Thomas Kolster, aka Mr. Goodvertising is a man on a mission, one of the early pioneers in the do-good space coining the term Goodvertising to describe the changing advertising landscape that’s become a movement in itself.
As a seasoned advertising professional counting more than 16 years he’s a vocal voice for advertising and brands as a force for good and his book “Goodvertising”is the most comprehensive book to date exploring communication for good.
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