Design for social change is a win-win for business and community.
I had to do something! In late 2019 I had a pivotal day. On my commute to work I was cut off by an aggressive driver and forced onto the shoulder. Pretty typical. I didn’t think much of it. Later, on my lunch hour walk, I realized that often on a crowded sidewalk people just refuse to move aside, either they were not paying attention or even worse, were asserting their dominance. I don’t know, but it was disconcerting. Then in the evening, my Dad called to chat. In the course of our phone call, he shared how disappointed he was that so few people showed him any respect—he’s 89. Daily he gets doors slammed in his face. By the end of the day, I was frustrated. This was not the world I want to live in—people unaware at best, selfish at worst. I was sad for the loss of community, the loss of shared societal responsibility, and really concerned for the future.
To be honest, I’m tired of complaining and not feeling like I can offer solutions. But after that day, an idea was born. Why not bring back the ‘Public Service Announcement’ (PSA) as a gentle reminder that we all share responsibility for the wellbeing of our community. And, we are happier humans when we are less self-absorbed. As a graphic designer and communicator—why not take on the challenge? It would be a fun design exercise and maybe one day, the posters could help reignite some goodwill and change.
So, I did it. And it was fun, it was cathartic, and it felt good to do something that could have an impact. But it was also a reminder that becoming a mission-driven organization, or developing marketing efforts that are tied to corporate values can be win-win for both company and community–something I personally believe we desperately need more of these days.
