Author: Jacqueline Lara / Source: 99U by Behance
Do the Green Thing might be 10 years old, but the issues it tackles, including corporate social responsibility, are very much the hot topics of today. Co-founder Naresh Ramchandani reflects on how commercial creativity can put something good into the world.
“Value” and “mission driven” are favorite words these days as corporations dive into social responsibility—from blocking gun sales to minors to sending eyeglasses to Zimbabwe. As companies (and their marketing teams) tangle with lawmakers and mindful customers, our heads are spinning. So we asked Do the Green Thing founder and Pentagram partner Naresh Ramchandani what he’s learned from running Do the Green Thing.
Do the Green Thing has been turning out whimsical, solutions-oriented posters, music videos, and campaigns by some of the biggest names in the design world for the past 10 years. Now, a decade into the venture, Ramchandani and his art director, Lizzie Reid, reflect on their in-house passion projects and how they direct their marketing and design expertise at global good.
A lot has changed in how we talk about going green in the last ten years. How do you design campaigns for a more eco-literate audience?
NR: You’re right, the conversation has changed in the last 10 years. It’s not quite mainstream news anymore as it was in 2006 and 2007. What individual green action is, and the difference it can make, have become more ingrained, and more subtle. But I also think you’ve got something else going on: You’ve got a younger generation who were born into the problem. How they engage in solutions is much more natural and intuitive.
LR: A good example is Ungifted, which is the Christmas campaign we launched in 2016. It’s an example of how you create a solution to a problem such as over-consumption at Christmas.
NR: Which is a colossal problem.
LR: A huge problem. Ungifted a website where you can give people time at Christmas. You e-mail a friend and say “Instead of buying you this cheap scented candle or socks, I’m going to try and find the best coffee with you in our local area. Or I’m going to go ice skating with you.” The conversations we had when we were coming up with the solution is “How far up in the About [section] is talking about saving the planet?” People are quite clued up already. You need to start talking about the other benefits. It has environmental benefits—stopping wasteful gifts—but it also plays into other benefits that young people are looking for: spending meaningful time with your friends when you’re time-poor.
NR: You can assume that people are literate in the problem. You just mention super quickly that the gifts that we tend to buy thoughtlessly are also thoughtless for the planet. Then get into the positive, imaginative solution. I’m waiting for the world to understand how brilliant Ungifted is.
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