On Tuesday November 22, UnLtd held an event at the Meta offices in Barangaroo to discuss insights and inspiration on how creativity can make a positive change in the world, by unpacking influential campaigns that highlight mens mental health, feminism and childhood development.
Steve Coll, head of Meta’s Creative Shop interviewed a panel of forward thinkers who are the brains and motivation behind these highly influential campaigns. The panel includes: Chief creative officer at The Hallway, Simon Lee, Ceo of Innocean, Jasmine Bedir and Group CEO of M&C Saatchi, Justin Graham.
Simon Lee is the chief creative officer behind the 2021 ‘Boys Do Cry’ campaign highlighting mens mental health, Jasmine Bedir produced ‘Be The Change’ with Fuck The Cupcakes that potrays bystanders to workplace sexism and Justin Graham was behind ‘How every Child can Thrive by 5’ featuring 7-year-old Molly Wright.
Coll: “When we are in our agencies we all think that we can do amazing things, but these are huge spaces that you’re taking on. What is it that influences you to take on the challenge standing up to create change?”
Simon Lee: “There’s a few things, the first is people. Bloody great people. I’ve been in this industry for 20 years and I’ve always been fortunate enough to be around really talented people with a good sense of what is important, what is right and what we should be doing.
“Then there’s that spark of feeling “I can’t not do this”, and that generally starts with one person. Then you can bring people in as a sort of coalition of intent that surrounds that person.
“You certainly can’t do it alone and I think that’s I guess the answer to your question, the spark of the intent, followed by the right people surrounding them with the belief to make the work happen.”
Coll: “Jasmine, you talked about that anger you had when you saw what was going on for women, was that anger enough to sustain you and drive the work?”
Jasmine Bedir: “I’m a little bit of a dynamo, I create pace and energy. This work was very personal to me and also very relevant because I’m a woman who has been in this industry for 25 years, so my lived experience led me to the point where I just got really angry.
“Obviously there was the backdrop of politics so I guess every woman was angry, and then I think it turned into conviction.
“I think we are so powerful in this industry with the stuff that we can do. We create narratives on TV screens, we can influence the media. So why don’t we do something that can change the world?”
“With privilege comes responsibility to actually extend the letter down and make change for the better.”
Coll: Justin, you’ve taken on a huge problem, what is it that makes you and the team at M&C Saatchi, we can give this a go?
“We had thoughts about impact philanthropy which doesn’t really happen in Australia, so it was the passion and thought of “If we are going to do this, we have to do it properly and have an impact around the world.”
“Traditionally agencies would centre around goals such as awards and recognition but none of that is involved in this.
“This just needs to be about impact and needs to be something that many people can connect with, which was a simple word but the key motivation for us to keep going.”
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