Underground Ads (Advertising, Design & Strategy for Non-Profits

the thought + the process.

choices + the chosen of sol sender after the jump…

Read the rest of this entry »

Immigration is an issue that I care a lot about, because I think the way we treat people who want to come live in our country says a lot about who we are as Americans. That’s why I was so happy when Nebraska Appleseed contacted us about creating some ads for their “Nebraska is Home” campaign.

“Nebraska is Home” is part of a larger national campaign called Welcoming America, and it’s not just advertising– it’s real grassroots community organizing mixed with smart messaging designed to remind people of the true face of immigration in our country. The ads we created for them aren’t designed to confront every aspect of the anti-immigrant movement in this country. Instead, they’re about starting to create a counter-narrative: new families make us– all of us– stronger.

It’s a message, and a campaign, that we’re proud to support. The other ads for the campaign are after the jump.

Read the rest of this entry »

Know anyone who’d enjoy reading about Underground in עברית or 汉语/漢語? Now they can — thanks to Osocio, an ad blog connecting social messengers and nonprofits around the globe. Underground was flattered to see our Water Saving Hero campaign featured on the Osocio ad blog recently.

Amidst the hundreds of ad blogs on the web, Osocio stands out for its exclusive focus on do-good advertising. The site has a decidedly international flavor, covering social advertising and nonprofit campaigns from around the globe and translating into 17 languages. An online hub offering comprehensive resources for social messengers, Osocio describes itself as:

…more than a blog. It’s a complete resource for all things in the world of non-profit and social messaging. It’s a platform for global and local social issues, both large and small. It’s a community of social thinkers and marketing do-gooders.

So we were pretty excited to see Osocio feature the Water Saving Hero campaign on their blog for the second time. Last year they wrote us up for our series of print ads, and they’ve recently featured our TV commercials. We’re thrilled to be included among the stellar creative work regularly featured on the site. With media campaigns from the incendiary to the cutesy to the juvenile, its definitely worth browsing, and not just because we’re in it.

I’ve come across some amazing design innovations this week that I thought would be fun to share. It’s wonderful to see that product and package design are moving towards sustainability - and great to see that it’s being recognized!

The 360 Paper Bottle is a container that is versatile in its range of consumer applications. It is made from food-safe and fully recyclable materials. It strategically decreases energy consumed throughout the product life cycle without sacrificing functionality, and enhances everyday consumer usage by offering an environmentally friendly experience.
By Brand Image

The original meaning of the term “straw” was “wheat straw”. Wall art depicting people using straws of wheat to drink from have been discovered from ancient Mesopotamian ruins. Straws of wheat are forms created by nature; they are materials that return to the soil. There’s no waste in either the shape itself, or in its actual existence.
By Yuki lida