Change your mind. Change our world.

Describe your idea and concept of your work in relation to the festival outlines:

The campaign will function by making the public aware of shocking statistics and realties about the way the world operates. This will encourage debate, change opinions and foster inquiry into the way society runs as a whole. By changing public opinion, individuals are more likely to be involved in and advocate for sustainable economic management. Government policies are more likely to change when large amounts of people are engaged in a similar political discourse.

The direct action component will work because it will use two strategies with a proven history of creating change. The first method is microlending. Microlending will be encouraged through first making viewers aware of the issue by making shocking statistics & information available, and then alerting them to existing micro lending institutions such as KIVA and ACCION where they can donate to promote change. Microlending is a very direct way of donating as funds are given straight to those in need instead of being wasted in administration fees and advertising.

The other method is holding offenders (companies, people, institutions, governments) to account through petitions, letters and signature gathering. Signatures do make a difference. Petitions work by putting the offending parties under pressure and making them know that the public is aware of what they are doing. In 1978, the British Anti-Apartheid Movement delivered petitions signed by 45,000 persons to the United Nations to free Nelson Mandala. In 1980, A petition sponsored by Sunday Post received over 86,000 signatures. In 1984, three United States organizations presented to the United Nations petitions for the release of Nelson Mandela signed by over 34,000 persons. In 1990 Nelson Mandela was freed. Amnesty International has countless success stories on their web site such as: Ma Khin Khin Leh set free from Myanmar after petition (2009), Ye Guozhu set free in China after petitions were delivered (2008) Sami Al Hajj was released from Guantanamo after Amnesty petition (2008). Organizations such as Getup and Avaaz base most of their campaigns on petitions and signature gathering.

What kind of communication approach do you use?

The communication approach that has been used is a campaign that targets an audience through public (widespread) and targeted (through mailing lists/interested parties) print and online campaign items. The campaign strives to educate individuals and change their minds, and also encourage them to participate in changing the world through microlending, signing petitions and sending postcards to some of the worlds most unethical and wealthy corporations. I have been influenced in one of my outcomes very strongly by Stefan Sagmeister, a designer who I have observed as always seeing design “playing important roles socially and politically as well as economically”, (Kimbell, L, 2011) which is essential to good design.

What are in your opinion concrete benefits to the society because of your communication?

The benefits to society that have come about because of this campaign is education, increased corporate scrutiny and if the campaign is successful more people participating in microlending. By changing public opinion and educating people, individuals are more likely to be involved in, and advocate for sustainable economic management. Government policies are more likely to change when large amounts of people are engaged in a similar political discourse. The campaign will bring about concrete benefits to society because it will use and encourage two strategies with a proven history of creating change. The first method is microlending. Microlending will be encouraged through first making viewers aware of the issue by making shocking statistics & information available, and then alerting them to existing microlending institutions such as KIVA, ACCION, opportunity.org, and the Grameen bank, where they can donate to promote change. Microlending is a very direct way of donating as funds are given straight to those in need instead of being wasted in administration fees and advertising. The other method is holding offenders (companies, people, institutions, governments) to account through petitions, letters and signature gathering. Signatures do make a difference. Petitions work by putting the offending parties under pressure and making them know that the public is aware of what they are doing. Successful organizations such as Getup, Avaaz and Amnesty International base most of their campaigns on petitions and signature gathering.

What did you personally learn from creating your submitted work?

I have been shocked by many of the statistics that I have found. I have learnt that debt does not affect one person in most cases but usually affects whole families and groups. I have learnt that debt can be thought of in many different ways, for example, financial, psychological, through passing ones genes on (with chemically altered dna), or through inter-generational trauma. Through researching some of the most unethical corporations in the world (as defined by Covalence, a Swiss organization) I have found that these corporations often leave long lasting inter-generational, financial and psychological debts. I have found that greed and corporations exclusive focus on their profits almost always to a long lasting debt on someone else. I have also learnt that as eye magazine’s first thing first manifesto states,“Consumerism is running uncontested; (and) it must be challenged by other perspectives expressed, in part, through the visual languages and resources of design.” I have also learnt the important role designers can play in society as “interpreters of changes in culture who then create new kinds of cultural form” (Kimbell, L, 2011).

Why is your work, GOOD communication WORK?

My work is good communication work because it is an accessible, interesting, environmentally responsible and socially responsive critique of society that will lead to more education and positive change. Van Toorn, J (2010), states that really committed visual journalism “needs a vision to ensure moments of genuine human exchange”. Similarly, s/he denounces bad visual communication as “resulting in messages without any conceptual flesh on the bones”. My work is good communication work because it has both a vision and a message.

Where and how do you intent do implement your work?

I intend to implement my work after gaining more marketing information and financial support. Both of these factors are important because I currently do not have a viable means to finance this campaign (printing, delivery costs etc), and also I would need to find some way of getting the print collateral to interested parties through mail-outs/emails instead of random deliveries. Alternatively, many aspects of this campaign could be converted into an online campaign, with those interested in participating printing out items themselves or emailing unethical corporations as opposed to normal mail.

Did your intervention had an effect on other Media. If yes, describe the effect? (Has other media reported on it- how? Were you able to change other media with your work- how?)

My work as yet has not had any effect on other media.