USING

THE SDGs

The SDGs can serve as a tool for advertising students that take the world as seriously as they take their work. The mark of a smart and forward-thinking creative starts with understanding the Goals and how to use them.

THE WHY.

I'm a young creative at the beginning of my career, and I want to do work for good for people and the planet. It's no secret why that goal is our generation's number one priority. Our loyalty, money, and enthusiasm follow brands that take a strong stand and work to make a difference in our world. In our careers, we hope to work for agencies and brands that lead with sustainability and aim to better the lives of their stakeholders. And if we want to manifest those kinds of jobs, we need to put that kind of work in our books.

There are many ways we can choose to emphasize charity and sustainability in our student work, but the pros rely on the Sustainable Development Goals. The United Nations is on board, the industry is on board, and the world as a whole is on board. Students: It's time to get on board.

Let's boil it down:

Agencies work with the SDGs on a daily basis. Start working with them now and you'll be prepared for that first dream job and every one that follows.
You want to do work for good, but you're not an economist, or an international development expert, or an active part of the UN. The good news is, most of the research and the groundwork is already done. There's no need to reinvent the wheel.
The ad industry's invested in the SDGs, and it's giving out awards to prove it. Start thinking on this track now and you'll be nabbing an SDG Lion in no time.
Building a campaign that tackles an SDG takes serious strategic thinking and real-world creative problem-solving. Sound like something that would be impressive in your book?

THE HOW.

LEARN

With 17 goals and 126 targets, there's a lot to the SDGs. Take the time to familiarize yourself with all of them. Then, make sure you know how brands and agencies are tackling them.

STRATEGIZE

Is there one particular goal that seems naturally aligned with your brand and campaign objective? How can you tackle it while remaining true to your brand and your consumers?

SOLVE

These goals are ambitious, and they're going to take some serious creativity to accomplish. This is the fun part. What do you dream of seeing in the world? Make it happen.

GUT CHECK

We need to take our work seriously when dealing with people's livelihoods and the future of our planet. Look at what you've made. Does it truly work within the spirit of the SDGs?

A STEP FURTHER.

In 2018, Dentsu Tokyo created an extensive guide on how to communicate in relation to the SDGs. From internal communication to tips on avoiding "SDG-wash," this guide is a great resource for creating work that contributes to the goals.