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Do It Day Refugee Crisis Marketing

Brands should be doing more to help with the refugee crisis

By Vicky Bullen, CEO

September 23, 2016 | 5 min read

The image of desperate people leaving their homes in search of safety, risking their lives with people smugglers in rickety old boats, can seem unreal and remote in our world – perhaps particularly in London where we see evidence of huge wealth on a daily basis.

Vicky Bullen

However, last weekend, London witnessed thousands of ordinary people marching to highlight the plight of refugees across the globe. Charities and groups including Amnesty International UK, Asylum Aid, Save the Children, Red Cross, Oxfam, Hope Not Hate and the UN Refugee Agency joined forces in support of the Refugees Welcome March, alongside a host of celebrities and a handful of politicians.

Kate Allen, director of Amnesty International UK, was quoted as saying: "While the government’s failure of leadership on the refugee crisis has been utterly shocking, local communities have taken matters into their own hands and have been doing what they can to support refugees."

“Local communities” meaning individuals. People. Apart from the charities who marched side by side with them, no other businesses or brands were anywhere to be seen.

The crisis has caused debate the world over, and much of the tone of that debate has been unpleasant. Refugees are often seen as a drain; the discourse is selfish, xenophobic even, and primarily focussed on what refugees cost us and our society, rather than what these people can contribute.

However, I believe businesses can, and must, do something. Much like many businesses and brands did for the LGBT community this year – including Skittles, Lloyds Bank, Hilton Hotel, Channel 4 to name a few – their endorsement can make a statement and a real impact.

In the creative industry alone we have the problem solving skills to develop groundbreaking ideas, and we have access to partners, platforms and brands who, on the whole, want to do good. We can help shift perceptions. But I would also argue we need to do it to safeguard our future, because diversity in all its guises is critical to creativity.

Refugees bring difference, cultural richness, another point of view.

Our industry is in the midst of a ‘diversity’ crisis, but diversity goes way beyond gender, sexuality and even the colour of your skin. Diversity encompasses celebrating and promoting different cultures and people from different places. In our world we need it not least because we are creating for a global economy, but even beyond that, diversity feeds creativity.

We are constantly seeking ways of differentiating our work and our clients’ brands – to do that we have to dig deep, look far and wide and challenge the norms. Diversity in our people is critical – we must embrace people who are ‘different’ because that difference drives us and our creativity.

However, it’s not to say that individuals amongst us aren’t trying. Just Givings’s #KindUK and the #SafetyPin campaigns are using creativity to help alleviate growing animosity.

However, from a business perspective, I think we can all do more. We recently worked with the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI) for the ‘I Am A Refugee’ campaign, creating iconic plaques (inspired by the blue English Heritage ones,) to celebrate the achievements and contribution of refugees to the UK. Featuring well-known faces such as Rita Ora, Michael Marks (founder of Marks and Spencer) and super model Alek Wek, the campaign launched as Brexit became a reality and new era (and cultural shift) formed.

It’s shocking to realise that the image we have suddenly created of ‘a refugee’ as a nation is completely removed from reality. Our country, and industries, are partially built on immigrants’ and refugees’ hard work, strength and resolve, and we mustn’t forget that.

This is a complex problem – and I’m not suggesting the creative industry can solve it, but if every industry – from recruitment to retail – did their bit, it would help.

We’ve pledged to be involved in The Drum's Do It Day, partnering with Amnesty International to see how we can harness creativity to make a difference. Let’s all get involved and see what we can do.

Vicky Bullen is chief executive officer of Coley Porter Bell. Vicky urges you to support I Am A Refugee by creating your own plaque at the IAAR website, and to use the hashtag #Iamarefugee

Do It Day Refugee Crisis Marketing

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