Canan Yasar: ”Deep down, you know there’s nothing left”
Obeya’s Creative Director Canan Yasar is inspired by Patagonia’s new direction, believes agencies need to take greater responsibility for the climate, and shares her strongest impression from SXSW in this week’s Resumé Insikt Q&A.
What communication trend is exciting right now?
We need to address the fact that we aren't just competing with what’s being created here and now, but also with what was created years ago. Suddenly, Cyndi Lauper is relevant again. This places entirely different demands on us as communicators but also presents an interesting thought about perhaps repackaging something we’ve done before.
AI, of course. Both in terms of finding ways for us as communicators to use AI, and in terms of what representation looks like among those building the tools, so that we avoid embedding bias.
I also find AI exciting in relation to mental health. Woebot is an AI psychologist you can talk to anytime. How will this affect society, and how can brands work with these types of services?
One thing I saw during SXSW that I truly hope spreads worldwide is making visible which agencies are contributing negatively to the climate. Ben & Jerry’s had renamed its ice creams after major oil companies and also called out the names of the agencies working with them. It’s time for agencies to be held accountable as well.