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AI-generated dogs. Paid jobs on Roblox. Lichen that fights climate change.
Each of these concepts sounds like a side project or experiment, but they are three very real initiatives aimed at solving real issues, each with creativity at the core. We know that the day-to-day demands of social impact programming and strategy can often feel overwhelming. It's easy to become bogged down by immediate tasks and urgent needs, while feeling like your organization is only making incremental change. At the same time, it can feel wasteful to spend time on big-picture thinking. But creativity is a powerful tool. By thinking big and pushing the boundaries of what's possible, you might stumble upon a new way to address climate change, enhance community resilience, or foster equitable growth. And we promise it will be more fun than sticking with the status quo. ——Kristin Kenney, Director
🛋️ Logging in for duty: Some new IKEA employees will have an extremely short commute to their new stores—because those stores are in the retailer's "virtual universe" on Roblox. A popular community gaming platform and game creation system, Roblox allows users to create almost anything they can imagine. For IKEA, that's an entire virtual store, with real, paid employees. The Swedish retailer hopes the experiment will help future and current IKEA employees explore careers or new positions with the company.
🐶 Making shelter dogs "ad"optable: Animal shelters across the US are overflowing due a combination of inflation and the post-pandemic shift from WFH back to offices. Owner surrenders are exacerbating an already dire situation in many communities, where overbreeding and lack of spay & neuter resources have resulted in far more homeless animals than willing adopters. Pedigree—despite its brand name—has committed to feature shelter dogs in all of its advertising. The company hopes to help reduce the burden on shelters while enabling more dogs to spend their lives on a couch or in the backyard instead of a kennel. Using AI, Pedigree is transforming static shelter photos into engaging poses and then placing adoptable dogs into geolocated ads. The aim is for passersby to spot their new best friend—and apply to adopt.
Watch the video—ADOPTABLE BY PEDIGREE
Marketing Dive—Pedigree adopts AI to give 'glow ups' to shelter dog ads
🪨 Lichen vs carbon: Lichen, a symbiotic life form composed two organisms (fungus and algae), has a climate-friendly feature that could unlock a new wave of carbon-capture opportunities. Lichens are carbon sinks, absorbing around a quarter of the Earth's carbon dioxide. They're also hardy and easy to grow—making them an ideal partner in fighting climate change. After coming across lichen on a rock in the Arctic, Steve and Beth McDaniel wondered if lichen's CO2-consuming capabilities could be applied via a coating. Eventually, they pivoted to cellulose mats, arranged in an outdoor array of 100 modules that can capture around 10 tons of carbon a year.
In this episode, Kevin Martinez, VP of Corporate Citizenship at ESPN, discusses the role of sports in youth development and the alarming trend of children dropping out. He highlights ESPN’s initiatives including Don't Retire, Kid; Foundation V; and a partnership with Special Olympics, showcasing the community and business value of investing in sports.