"Kwame Taylor-Hayford discusses the importance of a strategic approach when crafting initiatives aimed at making a significant global social impact"
In the realm of creative industries, a shift towards social impact is gaining momentum. Organisations like D&AD are dedicating their efforts to nurturing new talent and providing learning programs and masterclasses.
One such company leading this charge is Kin, co-founded by Kwame Taylor-Hayford, who also serves as the President of D&AD. Kin, a creative company focused on advancing social change through culture, has been making waves with their purpose-driven approach.
Crafting Purpose-Driven Narratives
Kin's work underscores the importance of purpose-driven storytelling, creating narratives that resonate emotionally and authentically with social issues, while emphasising the brand's mission and values. A notable example of this is Kin's campaign for Delta Air Lines, which featured diverse images and was downloaded more than two and a half times than any other diverse image library on Adobe Stock.
Building Communities and Engaging Audiences
By creating spaces where supporters can rally around a cause, Kin strengthens brand loyalty and shared identity. This approach has been instrumental in fostering long-term community trust and engagement.
Measuring Social Impact
Measuring the impact of creative branding is crucial for refining strategies and demonstrating effectiveness. Kin employs a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods. These include social listening and sentiment analysis, brand perception surveys, engagement quality metrics, and the use of specialized tools such as Sopact.
The Future of the Industry
AI is seen as a significant potential disruption in the industry, potentially even bigger than the internet. As the industry evolves, it's essential to keep it attractive and open the door to talent by changing the culture, process, and outputs. Platforms like TikTok are making it easier for creators to get briefs directly from brands, potentially making traditional design studios less appealing.
Recognising Excellence in Social Impact
Awards like The Brand Impact Awards provide a platform for creators to showcase work with strong social impact. In 2022, Kin was awarded AdAge’s Purpose-Led Agency of the Year, Silver.
Emphasising Mentorship
Mentorship has become less prevalent in the industry due to pressures and changes. Placing more emphasis on it could benefit all parties, as it provides a valuable opportunity for knowledge sharing and skill development.
A Long-Term Commitment
Kwame Taylor-Hayford believes in committing to a five-year journey for making progress on an issue or developing an outcome for a community to bring about meaningful positive change. This long-term approach underscores the importance of patience and perseverance in driving social impact through creative work.
- Kin's design work emphasizes the importance of narratives that align with social issues, authentically reflecting a brand's mission and values.
- In the Delta Air Lines campaign, Kin utilized diverse images, resulting in more than two and a half times the downloads compared to other diverse image libraries on Adobe Stock.
- By creating spaces where supporters can unite around a cause, Kin fortifies brand loyalty and shared identity, fostering long-term community engagement.
- To assess social impact, Kin employs a blend of qualitative and quantitative methods, incorporating social listening and sentiment analysis, brand perception surveys, engagement quality metrics, and specialized tools such as Sopact.
- As technology advances, AI could significantly disrupt the creative industry; maintaining an attractive, open, and inclusive culture is crucial to fostering talent and adapting to these changes.
- Social impact awards, like The Brand Impact Awards and AdAge's Purpose-Led Agency of the Year, serve as platforms for creators to exhibit work with profound societal impact.
- The creative industry could benefit from emphasizing mentorship, fostering knowledge sharing and skill development, benefiting both seasoned professionals and emerging talent.
- Kwame Taylor-Hayford advocates for a five-year commitment to addressing social issues or community development, demonstrating the value of patience and persistence in driving long-term social impact through creative work.
