We marketing, advertising and media people can change the world. So be careful.

You want a happier world? Then write, sell, buy and produce funnier work.

You want a healthier world? Make your products cleaner or maybe promote exercise–even if you’re selling cars.

You want a more peaceful world? Then write, sell, buy and produce social harmony and unity in all you do.

You want a world with more love in it? Then do better than McDonald’s and Subaru are. And feel free to ask me how to do it better.

You want a more beautiful world? Then try fussing over every pixel to make your business and brand more beautiful for a start. How you write and design everything tells the world how you feel about it.

You want a world where people are increasingly blasé, numb, anxious, tense and indifferent? Just keep doing what 99% of you are doing. Just keep data mining and tracking people and trying to reach them 24/7 with meaningless, interruptions in your race to the bottom.

Sorry – but it’s high time we realize we have the power to affect society and this entire world, not just reflect it. And don’t say it’s the fault of the spammers, phishers and robocallers – it’s just as much the fault of the insistent purveyors of ordinary, average vanilla in all media.

My suggestion? Pick a single, compelling human truth inside your company culture, products and services that mirrors and resolves a critical need or problem in the world and make sure to carefully plumb its depths to produce a living, breathing compelling brand that can last years and grow with engaging breakthrough, powerful work that makes someone’s day – every day, with every single thing you do.

Sure, it can be long hard work– but if it’s too much for you (like typing real, curly quotes instead of those sloppy, ugly hash marks), ask me.

Who’s with me?