Proving the fact that just because someone is behind bars doesn't mean they don't have good ideas, the 'Concepting with Convicts' helps to rehabilitate prisoners and build their resumes on the inside.
The idea came from interns at DigitasLBi located in San Franciso, who used a pen pal system for finding inmates interested in the project. From there, they would carry out various creative briefs like any project in the ad industry. Targets would be conveyed such as improving the image of a brand, and then convicts would either be assigned as an art director or copywriter.
The results were poignant and impressive. "Drive It Like You Stole It" was one tagline for Cadillac, which shows that even negative experiences in one's life can lead to a positive creative endeavor. Projects such as these are crucial to rehabilitate prisoners and set them up for a life beyond bars.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Inmate Rehabilitation
- Opportunity to leverage the talent and creativity of inmates to foster their rehabilitation and provide them with marketable skills.
- Alternative Workforce
- Exploration of non-traditional labor sources such as inmates to tap into untapped talent pools and promote inclusivity.
- Creative Collaboration
- Collaborative projects between inmates and professionals to create innovative and impactful advertising campaigns, showcasing the power of diversity in creative ideation.
Where This Applies
- Advertising
- Disruptive innovation opportunity to incorporate the unique perspectives and experiences of inmates in advertising campaigns, fostering creativity and social impact.
- Prison Rehabilitation
- Exploration of inmate-led creative projects as a means of promoting rehabilitation and preparing prisoners for successful reintegration into society.
- Workforce Development
- Disruptive innovation opportunity to create programs that equip inmates with marketable skills through collaborative creative initiatives, empowering them for future employment opportunities.
