Give Us Your Issues, Your Plights, Your Causes

People already know about global warming. They've heard all there is to hear about road safety. And they've certainly had enough of the Surgeon General.

But there is plenty they don't know.

Advertising is all about awareness. The job of an agency is to take information and get it out there, quickly and effectively.

Why most unheard of organizations don’t go through advertising hot shops to get their message out is beyond me.

Well, actually, no. I know why they don’t. It seems like it would be enormously expensive to buy something as sophisticated and well produced as a big, big ad.

And it is expensive. And media is expensive.

However, chances are, you’ll get a creative team to help you find an insightful and inexpensive way to spread your message.

Right now, as an English copywriter myself, I am actively seeking messages that the public doesn’t know about yet, so they can be made aware of them, in, ideally, an intelligent, cost-effective, (and awardable) way.

The award bit, it's a long story, but it's the currency of the game.

Either way, this has me working backwards to find an organization to fit concepts, as opposed to the other way around.

And the less the public knows about something, the more interesting the message.

That said, I bet I’m not alone. And if your cause is unique enough, you will have no trouble finding creatives happy to work with you.

So, all you unsung activists of lesser-known causes: find yourself an agency, and just ask.

Right now, Oxfam is seeking the help of major advertising agencies and media buyers to forward its message about clean water, classrooms, taps and toilets (basically education and drinking water for all).

Here's what I mean: Mary Walsh on the Warpath for Oxfam