This has been on my mind lately…
We as advertisers/marketers/creatives have a unique gift to influence people through our work. Therefore, I believe we have a responsibility to ensure we’re influencing people to do the right thing.
This goes beyond the client, beyond the project, and begs the question, “Is this helping or harming others?”
The creative industry (not just advertisers – if you build a website, you’re guilty too) too often promotes over-consumption, encrouages a damaging addiction to consumerism, and promises a false happiness through material wealth that we’ve seen fail people over and over. And yet, we get in a room, hammer out an idea, talk ROI, talk strategy; but rarely do we stop and ask if we should be promoting this idea, this product, this company, this paradigm.
It’s somewhat cliche to say, but with power comes responsibility. If we really do have the ability to influence others more than the average joe, it’s inexcusable to use that gift without first understanding the impact.