Socialcommercialism

How can designers or architects relate to personal, ethical and social values in relation to commercial demands?

Socialcommercialism is a research project that investigates how design could play a role in facilitating just that.

The name of the project, Socialcommercialism, suggest a new ideology, that combine what today seems to be antagonists; social engagement and commercial output. To test this thesis we have formulated four different concepts, where commercial strategies, social issues and design are used to illustrate what the output of this thinking could be. It also refers to “Socialdemokratin” once playing a major part in the forming of the Swedish welfare project, but who today lacks ideas and ideology that are relevant in a complex globalized world.

Lantgas (Ruralgas): A way to speed up and ease the global transition from gasoline to biogas. This decreasing global heating, illnesses from pollution and bringing a more stable global politics – And thus benefiting us all.

Aluminiumetik (The ethics of aluminum): Helping homeless and poor collecting recyclable cans and giving them a higher income improving the recycling rates in public areas. Thus helping the collectors finding the cans and making the can collecting cleaner and decreasing material waste and decreasing western energy use and pollution.

Logotypdemokrati (Logo-democracy): Increasing voter participation among young people. Helping the European project to become relevant to teens by an everyday presence and by navigating helping them important public information.

Pysselomsorg (Care crafting): Creating a bridge between lonely elders in elderly care and a younger generation. Creating a production effective and beautiful way to share caring and affection via redesign of alarm bracelets used in hospitals.