Buying Bread

The advertising industry has been quite busy fixing global issues in recent years… to the point it has started being treated – mind you, mostly by people who work in marketing and advertising – as the world-saving business.

While it is certainly not quite there, the attitude is very honourable indeed. Brands play bigger roles in society, and we all admire great examples of advertising agencies executing ideas that drive positive change.

Brilliant saving-the-world ideas are strong, visible, and well promoted.

And that’s exactly why I felt like focusing on the less glamorous stuff: ideas that present advertising at its core and sell goods to people.

Can these ideas drive change? Can they bring about a better tomorrow?

Whatever the circumstances, people still buy products every day, and the very least we can do as good professionals and good people, is to assist people in making their daily life better.

And simply by being useful –  by approaching people at the right time, by helping them to find relevant products where they need them most, easier than ever… by helping people with a personal issue or even tackling global problem with their purchase, we most probably won’t impact much of their future, but we will certainly improve some of today.

Here are a couple of cases that represent these principles best: The Italian Art of Persuasion by Maserati, Alepo’s Block Wish, Complexcon by adidas, Carlsberg’s Snap Pack and Unforgettable Bag by Tesco.

Mundane purchases present enormous opportunities for brands and ambitious creative minds – especially now, when everyone can buy almost anything in the blink of an eye at any moment, from any place. 

Yet every time I look at aspiring creatives portfolios, I see many brand-building ideas that tackle serious global issues (which is very good) but hardly any small yet smart people-friendly solutions that assist people in their daily life (which is quite frustrating).

Don’t take me wrong. I feel quite inspired about saving the world.

Yet I feel we can all benefit from bettering the boring bits of the world while it is being saved.

Julia Dovlatova, Executive Creative Director, Geometry Prague, Czech Republic