Creative insights on how to combat the climate crisis

Extinction Rebellion's climate change campaign and handbook 'This is not a drill' makes it very clear that we are facing an unprecedented global emergency and that we have entered a period of abrupt climate breakdown. From fuelling the desire to buy cars, and going on holidays to the rapid rise of energy use in our homes, the advertising and creative industries are complicit in the grave situation we now find ourselves in.

With this in mind, D&AD facilitated 'Our toughest brief yet' and invited climate change activists and creative industry leaders to have their say on how we can take responsibility and use its collective creative powers to drive possible solutions for global warming and the environmental crisis at hand. The debate saw a passionate discussion on how creatives can find solutions to climate change in advertising. Here are some of the most stimulating points of the night.

For every brief that comes into your agency, include sustainability and creativity for social good at the heart of your response.

"We can choose not to take the briefs. We could choose to not make certain companies more famous. [...] That is a hard pill for all of us to swallow because actually, it does [affect] jobs, it does [limit] what briefs are going around, but I think we do have a choice to be able to select those companies we believe who are doing it right that we should be getting behind and putting our power behind." — Natalie Graeme, Uncommon London

If you're not in a position to impact the work you are doing for clients, take on pro bono work to help get the good products out into the market.

"There are loads of great things that the creative world can do, it just may not come from briefs from clients. It might be an initiative you decided to join, or pro bono work that you choose to do." —Naresh Ramchandani, Pentagram Design

Individual lifestyle changes aren't the primary means of "making a difference". Collective responsibility for climate change and action are necessary.

"This change isn't going to happen in isolation. A snazzy campaign that everyone loves isn't going to work. You have to get together on this because individual action isn't going to cut it anymore. Many of you share jobs, workplaces, hobbies, creative interests…Come and work from the streets. Get an internet connection and block a road. Everyone in the entire creative industries, get out there, take over a big chunk of town and make your mark." — William Skeaping, Extinction Rebellion

"We all have pockets of activism within an agency that can stir up trouble, but really we need all agencies to work together." — Iain Tate, Wieden+Kennedy

"How do you make 'living with less' not feel like a loss? This is all about behavioural change, there needs to be a shift in thinking. Less isn't a loss." — Rob McFaul, Purpose Disruptors

Employees should feel empowered to encourage creativity for social good within the workplace, regardless of seniority.

"Talk to your CEO's. If your CEO's don't change, change your CEO's. If people in power aren't doing their job, then they've got to go." — William Skeaping, Extinction Rebellion

"Leadership needs to be actively engaged with this. The leaders need to believe that this is a thing worth spending time and effort on, that it's a thing worth sacrifice." — Iain Tate, Wieden+Kennedy

The language surrounding the climate crisis needs to change. Knowing your audience is vital. Sometimes, a hard-hitting fact will work, while others may need a positive message.

"The language we use when talking about the climate doesn't feel like it's fit for purpose right now, it's underdeveloped. You have got to dial the problem up to the point of emergency, or make it really really desirable." — Naresh Ramchandani, Pentagram Design

"How do you speak to people who are really apathetic? You have to make it simple, make it accessible, and give it a positive element." — Nick Hodgkins, LADbible Group

"To make a change, you have to get people to laugh, cry or think." — Peter Souter, TBWA\London

Planning for 2022 is too far off, timescales need to be adjusted, and change must be implemented now.

"We are getting closer and closer to the deadline, but we are still wondering what the thing will be that changes people's minds." — Sophie Thomas, thomas.matthews

"There is a very small chance that you're going to be doing what you're doing professionally in five or 10 years time. When the food runs out, and civilisation collapses around us, you won't care about design and advertising." — William Skeaping, Extinction Rebellion

"It's still too slow. Everything we do still feels like it's slower than it has to be. We are looking at things in the wrong scale. If we don't implement things for this Christmas campaign, we've wasted a year we don't have." — Iain Tait, Wieden+Kennedy