We’re exposed to advertising every day. When we wake up in the morning and check the local weather, advertising. When we wait anxiously in traffic as the city bus picks up passengers, advertising. As we scan radio stations trying to find a familiar tune, there it is again, advertising.

According to recent estimates, we are exposed to 3,000 or more advertisements each and every day. However, we may not even notice them anymore. We tune them out. We have become desensitized. However, oddly enough, we often embrace the good ones. We hum along to their jingle, we adopt their slogans and we even discuss them amongst friends.

In this day and age, what does it take to stand out? How can a brand’s message be memorable amongst the plethora of others competing for our attention?

Companies and organizations spend a lot of time, money and effort trying to control their brand’s image. They often craft campaigns specifically to clean up a public relations mess. Persuasion is the name of the game and companies will spend what it takes to cleanse their image.

For example, have you seen the wave of ads by big oil companies trying to sway public opinion about the Canadian Oil Sands? There is a war being fought over public opinion and corporations will go the extra mile to look cleaner, more responsible and more righteous than the last when most of the time, they are not.

On the other hand, there are a small minority of companies that go out on a limb, and create campaigns that are so honest, and so philanthropic, that they spread like wildfire.

Take for example Dove’s Campaign For Real Beauty — the concept behind the campaign is to celebrate the beauty behind real women and to inspire them to be comfortable with themselves.

This subvert undermines what the fashion industry has pushed for years, that women need to look aesthetically “perfect” in order to feel and be attractive.

Or take U2 frontman Bono’s (RED) campaign.

The campaign engages the private sector in raising awareness and funds to help eliminate AIDS in Africa. (RED)’s goal is to end the transmission of HIV from moms to their babies and mark 2015 as the beginning of the end in the fight to eliminate AIDS.

RED) also ensures that 100 per cent of the money goes to AIDS programs through a Global Fund, with no overhead taken.

Companies such as Nike, American Express, Apple, Starbucks, Converse, Gap, Hallmark and Dell have joined the cause.

In the ring of public opinion, no one is invincible. No amount of marketing dollars can hide your brand from the truth.

Instead of trying to look good, why not do something that distinguishes your brand as good — you can donate, represent a cause, raise funds or raise awareness. At the very least, you can feel good about that.

There is a simple principle that we can all learn from: in this day and age, you must do good to be good.

Nico Taus and Frank Chartrand write on behalf of Bureau and the Sudbury Design Society.

Posted by Vivian Scinto