How Design Can Empower Underrepresented Causes and Groups
Why does a red light signal us to stop? How can a TikTok reel mobilize millions? The answer is simple: design.
Design is all around us–creating collective understandings, shaping our experiences, and influencing our choices. From the products we use to the messages we consume, design has the power to shift opinions, guide behavior, and ignite change. When harnessed for a social cause, the potential is endless.
“Design has the power to shape behavior, influence opinion, and drive social change.”
How Design Is a Tool for Activism
Effective design distills complex ideas into simple, impactful visuals that provoke emotion, raise awareness, and inspire action on both conscious and subconscious levels.
DESIGN AS AN ADVOCATE
Your first encounter with a brand probably came through its logo—maybe your favorite band’s emblem or a label on your shirt. But let’s be clear—logos are just the surface. They’re the visible tip of a much larger iceberg, the toe-dip into the deep waters of what a brand really is.
Greenpeace’s anti-plastic pollution campaign used shocking visuals and infographics on social media and in physical spaces to expose the scale of ocean pollution, advocating for policy change and corporate accountability. Their campaign raises awareness about the devastating impact of plastic pollution and pressures corporations and governments to adopt more sustainable practices.
DESIGN AS A MOBILIZER
Design can inspire action–from grassroots movements and protests to crowdfunding campaigns. Well-crafted posters, websites, apps, and social media graphics can rally people to support a cause, make donations, or take political action.
NJI partnered with the World Wildlife Fund to encourage global conservation efforts and mobilize audiences to donate. Powerful data visualizations and interactive animations inspired over 11,500 donations, exceeding their fundraising goal by more than 150%.
The Women’s March mobilized millions worldwide through striking, consistent visual identity across digital platforms. Their iconic logo became a powerful symbol of resistance and solidarity. Their march became the largest single-day protest in U.S. history at that time, with millions of others marching in cities across the globe.
DESIGN AS A CHALLENGER
Design can disrupt harmful stereotypes by offering new, empowering representations of marginalized communities.
The Dove campaign for Real Beauty challenged conventional beauty standards by featuring women of diverse sizes, ages, and ethnicities in its advertisements. Through powerful imagery and storytelling, the campaign redefined societal perceptions of beauty and empowered a movement of body positivity.
How to Create Inclusive and Culturally Appropriate Design
While consumer and public affairs work is driven by market research, mass appeal, and brand alignment, designing for underrepresented communities requires sensitivity, co-creation, and cultural competence.
CULTURAL SENSITIVITY
To create impactful designs, thorough research of both the underrepresented group and the target audience is needed. Focus groups, interviews, and direct engagement are the most effective ways to authentically amplify marginalized voices.
“Design should highlight real stories from real people.”
Design should highlight real stories from real people and their impact on the broader community. For instance, when spotlighting cancer survivors or individuals living with severe disability, it’s important to also consider their impact on caregivers and family members.
In international contexts, designs should reflect diversity while honoring local traditions and cultural sensitivities. Illustrations are a valuable tool to represent diverse groups, markets, and contexts while remaining easily adaptable for localized audiences. They are particularly effective for communicating important health information, increasing vaccine confidence, and educating communities. Apps like Duolingo use illustrations in their language lessons, while institutions like Bank of America employ illustrations to explain complex financial topics.
CO-CREATION
An essential principle of inclusive design is to involve the end-user: co-design with them, not for them or at them. Too often, creators forget that they aren’t the audience they’re designing for. Successful co-creation requires setting aside personal biases to make space for other perspectives.
Time and budget are commonly cited barriers to inclusive design. Large organizations may have funding but lack time for focus groups, while smaller entities face financial restraints. This is one of the many reasons design teams and companies must be composed of individuals from diverse backgrounds, ethnicities, ages, and experiences.
VISUAL STORYTELLING
Visual storytelling can humanize topics that are often misrepresented or ignored. Creating experiences—through interactive websites, immersive art, or storytelling platforms—helps people see the world from different perspectives and understand the struggles of marginalized groups.
ACCESSIBILITY
Creating accessibility in digital and physical spaces can be life-changing for marginalized communities. Inclusive experiences ensure that everyone—regardless of ability, background, or identity—can engage with products, services, and information.
By understanding the power of design and applying inclusive and culturally appropriate principles, communities can activate global audiences and foster positive change.
