Thomas Kolster at TEDx: Can advertising save the world?

Kolster joined TEDx Panteion University’s jam-packed event in Athens in May this year. Does advertising satisfy or create the needs of the modern human after all? Undoubtedly, advertising is one of the most misconceived professional fields in modern society and the question if advertising can be “good” often finds itself in the center of attention.

Companies claim that they’re doing a big difference in relation to sustainability and saving the world. But according to a survey, 66% of young people think that the companies only declare it to earn money. So, as a consumer, do we really believe in the companies promises? Sustainability is getting more and more common and normal, but when we look at a company’s “to do” we don’t believe them. This is what Kolster calls “the hero trap”: brands are pretending to be the heroes instead of making the consumers the heroes.

Can advertising be used for a good cause? How can a non-profit organisation benefit without embodying all the negative background the advertising industry brings along? Watch the whole talk here:

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