Make it Relevant

I was walking down Sutter Street here in the Bay Area on Earth Day and came upon this:

I couldn't help but stop and re-read it. The more I thought about what it said, the more I really started to see "the bigger picture." For a time, the environment was where it was at. Everyone was doing their part to live green, buy organic, change their energy habits, etc. But as the recession smothers us more and more, we've shifted all of our focus to the financial sector. In both cases, it required a crisis to make us act. The problem is, we've stopped looking at the environment in our sorrow for the sorry state we're in financially. And unfortunately, living environmentally-responsible doesn't always suit a tight budget.

Every day I walk downtown and every day, I see more stores closing. And it's easy to get caught up in the crisis--I've got ads telling me left and right how "In this economy..." or "Because of the recession..." and the news telling me about all the lost jobs and unemployed workers. But this sign took me back. "Nature doesn't do bailouts." Even throughout this crazy recession, there's always been movement--towards a bailout, towards consolidation, towards cost-cutting. And we've relied on anyone but ourselves to provide this movement. 

But that's not the case with the environment. We're the ones who have to make the change. By likening the environmental crisis to the financial one, it inspired me, the viewer, to be an advocate. By making the crisis relevant, it showed me the necessary path that I, and others, must take. 

I've since found that there have been more postings in SF and NY:

I love it when I find ads that help me better understand how to be a great advertiser. It's even better when it helps me better understand how to be a good person.

I've since signed up at teamearth.com and I highly suggest you do the same. If we don't, who will? Nature has no government to get us outta this one.

Very cool work by BBDO West.