Purpose Disruptors’ Earth Day Campaign Makes Us Rethink What a Good Life Is
Advertising reformer, Purpose Disruptors, launches a new campaign as part of its Good Life 2030 project, and reveals the shortlist for their Good Life 2030 Exhibition of the Future, for Earth Day on the 22nd of April.
The campaign, ‘Reclaiming The Commercial Break’ created in partnership with award-winning creative agency Iris, plays with well-established advertising language to bring home the reality that advertising and consumption of material things distract from what’s important in life - a deeper connection to self, to others and to nature. The creative was developed over a rapid 6-week time frame, which began with an agency ‘Swarm’ – a 24-hour creative ideas sprint with 30 individuals.
Traditional-looking commercials are interrupted with messages that support human and planetary well-being. Examples include: “Deal of the day, 50% more time with the fam”, “Limited time offer, hanging out with the oldies” and “The future’s bright, the future’s ours to create”. The playful, provocative creative invites people to rethink what a ‘good life’ is, and what role advertising has to play in shaping what is important to us.
The campaign is being supported by leading media agency MG OMD, who brokered partnerships with media owners including JCDecaux, blowUp, OPEN, Pearl and Dean, The Guardian, Mobsta, SeenThis, Snap and media aggregator OpenX. The two-month campaign will be visible across digital, cinema, online publishing and outdoor including a Piccadilly Circus takeover.
The campaign launches on Earth Day, the 22nd of April, the longest-standing global day to drive positive action for our planet. The need for transformative action is more urgent than ever. The IPCC’s 6th Assessment Synthesis Report (AR6), released in March, stated “There is a rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a liveable and sustainable future for all” It’s now or never to act on climate”. Currently, the advertising industry has a major part to play in fuelling the climate crisis, Purpose Disruptors' latest Advertised Emissions report showed the industry was adding 32% to everyone in the UK’s carbon footprint. Nothing short of total industry transformation is needed. The Good Life 2030 project helps the advertising industry to recognise and reimagine its role in society.
The campaign will also be showcased as part of the Good Life 2030 Exhibition of the Future, which features a further 22 ‘Ads for the Future’. 200 entries were submitted from individuals via a coalition of creative partners, including purpose-driven social app WeAre8, creative network Creatives for Climate and Bournemouth and Falmouth Universities. Submission highlights include a poster which jumps ahead in time to an exhibition held in June 2712, an artwork which celebrates the power of community and connection, an emotive thank-you note from the perspective of the year 2030 and a reinterpretation of Matisse’s ‘The Dance’.
Entrants with backgrounds spanning from illustration to photography, graphic design, fine art and advertising, took part from across the globe from locations including the UK, Kenya, The Netherlands, Ireland and Australia. The submissions provided a diverse, vibrant and compelling suite of work to inspire a new future for both society and the advertising industry.
The Good Life project draws from Purpose Disruptors ‘Citizens’ Visions of 2030’ research conducted over 18 months which has uncovered the insight that everyday people dream of more connection in their lives. They have a desire for a deeper connection to self, to others and to nature in the future. These lives are more compatible with halving emissions by 2030 and are the opposite of the ‘Good Life’ the advertising industry currently sells which centres on wealth, status and having more.
The Exhibition will launch at the Earth Day Advertising Summit on the 25th of April, which will bring together advertising industry leaders and changemakers to accelerate the advertising industry’s climate transition in support of a thriving future.
Lisa Merrick Lawless, co-founder of Purpose Disruptors says: “This campaign by Iris and MG OMD is a demonstration of what is possible when people in our industry redirect their skills and talents towards creating a new vision of a good life in society. Imagine the impact our industry could have if everyone was focused on helping people reflect on what is important every day, not just Earth Day.”
Grant Hunter, global ECD of IRIS says: “By reclaiming the commercial break in prominent media sites and spaces across the UK we hope the industry and the wider public will take a moment to reflect on what really matters to them. If we collectively use the power of our creativity to create desire for a good life in 2030, the future's ours to create.”
Tim Pritchard, Executive Director and Head of Responsible Media at MGOMD says: “We’re really excited by the role that media can play in engaging citizens and helping them envision the future they want to create. Our industry needs to harness all the tools of persuasion at our disposal to create the change needed to address the climate crisis”
Laura Chase, chief commercial officer at WeAre8 says: “At WeAre8, we are huge fans of Purpose Disruptors and the brilliant work they are doing to supercharge meaningful progress across the industry. So, it is a total privilege to partner with them on the Good Life 2030 project, as we bring together creators and changemakers united in our mission to power a better future for brands, people and the planet.”
Lucy von Sturmer, chairperson of Creatives for Climate says: "Someone in our community recently asked, "Why does imagining the end of the world feel easier than saving it?" We recognize the powerful role that creatives can play in helping us to imagine, and actualize, a future we can be hopeful for. Partnering on the Good Life 2030 provides our community of industry creatives with the brief to make this happen."
The public are invited to take time to reflect on what a Good Life means for them. Head to goodlife2030.earth for more.
