The Drum Awards for Marketing - Extended Deadline

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By Doug Zanger | Americas Editor

May 19, 2017 | 2 min read

Design Week Portland is not simply a design festival. In its four years, the organization has understood its importance in not only furthering the design conversation, but how the industry and, by extension, the people and thinking can impart meaningful change.

A big part of Design Week Portland’s mission is to continually give back. Though it’s focused mainly on the Oregon city and surrounding region, there are universal truths about design that travel all over the globe and in many different areas of life and culture.

This year, we asked those on the Design Week Portland Main Stage one simple question: Can design impact positive change?

We talked to architects, professors, creative and agency leaders, journalists, artists, makers — people doing extraordinary things and thinking in extraordinary ways.

All those interviewed overwhelmingly agreed that design can change the world. The answers were both varied and interesting — focusing on the way that design tackles specific problems and how it can make the world a better place, especially in light of the challenges and polarization present.

Interviewees in Part 1 included:

  • Una Walsh, ECD, R/GA
  • Marcelino Alvarez, Founder, CEO, Uncorked Studios
  • Aniyia Williams, Founder, CEO, Tinsel
  • Jon Jackson, Partner, Work & Co
  • Adele Naude Santos, Professor, MIT
  • Thomas Wester, Creative Technology Consultant
  • Anya Fernald, Founder, CEO, Belcampo
  • James Keller, ED of Semiotics, Uncorked Studios
  • Emily Pilloton, Founder, Exec. Dir., Project H
  • Dave Otte, Partner, Holst Architecture
  • Randy Gragg, Journalist

Filmed outside Revolution Hall in historic Washington High School, Portland, Oregon.

Creative Design Week Portland

Other episodes in the series

Episode 1

Tina Brown, author of The Diana Chronicles, on what makes a great story

What’s the Story? is a storytelling video series dedicated to learning what truly makes a great story, told through the lens of the world’s talent and practitioners of the craft in entertainment, marketing and beyond.

Episode 2

Hip-hop icon Warren G and director Karam Gill on what makes a great story

What’s the Story? is a storytelling video series dedicated to learning what truly makes a great story, told through the lens of the world’s talent and practitioners of the craft in entertainment, marketing and beyond.

Episode 3

Glenn Gainor, Sony Pictures Screen Gems exec on what makes a great story

What’s the Story? is a storytelling video series dedicated to learning what truly makes a great story, told through the lens of the world’s talent and practitioners of the craft in entertainment, marketing and beyond.

Episode 4

Documentarian Cheryl Dunye on what makes a great story

What’s the Story? is a storytelling video series dedicated to learning what truly makes a great story, told through the lens of the world’s talent and practitioners of the craft in entertainment, marketing and beyond.

Episode 5

Sony Pictures Screen Gems exec, Glenn Gainor, on successful brand integration in film

After 25 years in the entertainment business, Glenn Gainor, head of physical production at Sony Pictures Screen Gems, knows plenty about great films and stories. He also knows what it takes to create successful integration for brands — and points to the seminal ET/Reese's Pieces hookup as the gold standard of integration.

Episode 6

Prop master Scott Bauer on how brands can drive a story

As a story unfolds in film and TV, there are plenty of those who help craft the work. Though writers, producers, directors and actors get the spotlight much of the time, the rest of crew plays invaluable roles in making it all come to life.

Episode 7

Sir John Hegarty on the best brand story he’s told

What’s the Story? is a storytelling video series dedicated to learning what truly makes a great story, told through the lens of the world’s talent and practitioners of the craft in entertainment, marketing and beyond.

Episode 8

Brand storyteller and film producer Tim Perell on great storytelling

What’s the Story? is a storytelling video series dedicated to learning what truly makes a great story, told through the lens of the world’s talent and practitioners of the craft in entertainment, marketing and beyond.

Episode 9

Amir Bar-Lev, Long Strange Trip director, on passion in storytelling

What’s the Story? is a storytelling video series dedicated to learning what truly makes a great story, told through the lens of the world’s talent and practitioners of the craft in entertainment, marketing and beyond.

Episode 10

PopSugar's co-founder, Lisa Sugar, shares what makes a great story

What’s the Story? is a storytelling video series dedicated to learning what truly makes a great story, told through the lens of the world’s talent and practitioners of the craft in entertainment, marketing and beyond.

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