About Face Design on the Forefront of Social Progress

Designing for the Greater Good

The recently published Designing for the Greater Good features an About Face Design project. Showcasing the best in cause-related marketing and nonprofit design, Designing for the Greater Good chose the About Face Design "MenCan" project to be one of 24 featured international, nonprofit branding campaigns.

The "MenCan" campaign, in partnership with Institute for Safe Families, was created in 2001 to address the issue of family violence. The message of the campaign: Caring and loving husbands and fathers "CAN" confront other men who are violent toward their own families.

Traditionally, women have led the movement to end violence in the home. The "MenCan" campaign is a call to action for men to join that movement and share the responsibility for preventing family violence.

About Face Design developed a multi-faceted campaign that heralded the "MenCan" message. Posters, a brochure and buttons carried this message in unique ways. The "MenCan" poster series depicts men from all walks of life as catalysts in preventing domestic violence. The informational brochure details how men can positively intervene and confront other men. Pin-on buttons that read "MenCan" serve as a symbol to engage in conversation about violence in the home.

The campaign culminated in the production of a large mural that recites the "MenCan" pledge; a credo for all men to fight against domestic violence. The mural was made by famed Philadelphia artists Isaiah Zagar and Paul Santoleri. All of the campaign's materials, including a documentary of the mural production and a rap video, were packaged as an interactive CD, adding a multi-media edge to the campaign.

We, at About Face Design, are proud that this important campaign was chosen by the authors of the book and hope that through it, the "MenCan" message continues to spread.

 

Designing for the Greater Good is published by Collins Design, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers and is produced by Crescent Hill Books.

More information about the book and how to order a copy is available at designingforthegreatergood.com.