Creatives: You Can Subvert Capitalism From the Inside
Creatives naturally gravitate towards exploring the human experience to fuel their art. But in advertising, we’re in a constant push-pull between creativity and capitalism. Let’s face it, it doesn’t always feel great.
Some of us still believe we’re artists with a hippy bent; others just want to feel good about where our ideas are going, and where our brain power is being spent. I know I’m one of those people.
As a creative director with over a decade in adland, Bill Hicks’ words haunt me. Sometimes I feel like maybe I am the devil, as he once said about advertising people. But here’s the thing: while we’re caught up in selling, we don’t have to only peddle capitalism. There’s space for us to make real change. Maybe I need therapy to evict Bill from my brain once and for all.
But brands want to make change too. They are realising that standing up for social causes isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s a must.
The Edelman Trust Barometer shows that people love when companies align with the important issues of our time. They’ll pay more for products with a cause. Plus, it gives people the warm and fuzzies. Unsurprisingly, the same logic applies to those of us in advertising; many creatives want to work for brands that are doing good in the world.
I’ve spent the better part of my career focusing on comms and marketing for good - working with B Corps like Paper Moose that refuse to compromise on their values. Through my many years of social impact communications, I’ve learnt that designing for good is not only possible, but essential.
More than ever, I’m hearing from a growing number of creatives wanting to crack the social impact sector. They ask me for advice about how to get in with businesses with an impact agenda. They’re hungry for clients like Greenpeace, solar companies, and the Who Gives A Craps of the world. I get it, I want those clients too.
Earlier this year, I taught a Social Impact course at Western Sydney University as part of its Communication Design degree. It was eye-opening. Students were so eager to create lasting change, something I never had the chance to learn back in my uni days. But here’s the thing: reality will hit when these young creatives leave the bubble and start working on hours of animated MRECs for corporate clients. Yet that’s where the real opportunity lies. We just need to teach them how to weave social impact into even the most capitalist projects.
I believe the biggest impact comes not from preaching to the converted but from taking these principles to the giants: property developers, the big FMCGs, insurance companies. It’s these clients, the ones not outwardly trying to be ‘good’, that hold the potential for real change. When we take their massive budgets, reach, and scale, and sprinkle in social impact principles, we create incremental shifts that can snowball into lasting impact.
Maybe it’s as simple as ensuring your talent pool champions diversity, like hiring from Dylan Alcott’s Shift 20 initiative to improve disability representation in advertising. Or questioning the need for mountains of swag destined for landfill.
There are a few key impact principles I’ve picked up along the way that you can bring to your next brief, or quietly implement without anyone noticing.
Nothing About Us, Without Us
Always make sure the voices and opinions of affected communities are front and centre. Consult with those who are directly impacted, ensuring they shape the process.
Acts Before Ads
Consumers are savvy. If you're promoting social good without authenticity and rigour, you’ll lose their trust. Greenwashing is real, but making small, meaningful changes behind the scenes can create impact without needing to shout about it.
What's In It For Me? What's In It For We?
Help people see the personal and collective benefits. Show how your solution creates value for both the individual and the greater good.
Make The Solution Theirs
Empower people to be part of the solution—whether it’s through contributions, opinions, or actions. When people feel ownership of the change, they’re more invested and committed to seeing it through.
To all the budding capitalist creatives out there: it’s time to use impact principles as your secret weapon. You’re not just here to sell - you’re a renegade for good. The real power is in subverting your clients from within, creating positive change where it’s needed most.
