A Playbook for Engaging in Social and Environmental Activism in Advertising | CU Experts

Abstract: Unlimited growth-based economic models built on assumptions of unlimited resources are inherently flawed and contribute to a myriad of problems, such as global climate change and record-level inequalities in social, economic, health, and educational levels along racial and geo-political lines. In this article, we outline the inherent contradictions and limitations of current unlimited growth-based economic models and propose an alternative in the form of circular sustainable economies rooted in the principles of reuse, recycle, and repair. Within the new framework of circular economies, we challenge advertising professionals to engage in social and economic activism to change the impact of our industry from merely mirroring society to propelling it forward toward a more sustainable and just one. We propose a playbook using awareness, action, and activism at individual, institutional, and societal levels as a matrix framework and list some specific things our industry can do to achieve the goal of a sustainable future.

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