Design Activism 2023 serves as an avenue for new possibilities, bringing together diverse stakeholders to brainstorm, and innovate novel solutions. Insights and experiences from a curated list of 25 distinguished thought leaders across industries converged on Saturday, November 18 2023 at the Bblewrap studio in Kochi to discover possibilities to leverage innovation and drive sustainability.

In addition to the enriching discussions, a Q&A session on the topic helped raise queries and share knowledge.  Design Activism was also a networking opportunity for those with a passion for sustainability and a commitment to positive change to connect over tea with like-minded professionals. The event opened up a forum for discussion and to envision steps for a more resilient future.

Bblewrap is a value-creating platform that works on business innovation through multidisciplinary system design, brand consultancy, marketing and digital innovations. We are passionate about design and its power to transform this world. We pair evidence-based research with human-centric design methodology to partner with brands who want to create value for the future.

We were honoured to have Mr. Arto Sivonen, Founder and CEO at Mandag, Finland as the key speaker for the event. Arto Sivonen is an Impact-driven facilitator and an urban activist. Over the years he has been involved in several projects that have both started and activated social change.

His experience in advertising for over two decades enabled Arto to understand different markets, politics, decision making and NGO fields, and to respect collaboration skills and creative work. He founded Måndag in 2011, which is a creative change agency where marketing, strategy, journalism, activism and action merge. At Måndag, he combines big ideas and good plans with fearless creativity and the best talent.

The joint speaker for the day was Mr. Jackson Dsilva, Director at Bblewrap Innovations Pvt Ltd. Former Assistant Professor at Xavier Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship, Jackson Dsilva joined Bblewrap as Director in 2021. A Social Innovator and Culture Weaver, Jackson heads the Market Research and Business Strategy at Bblewrap. He has worked on developing various eco-friendly and responsible brands, pan India.

In 2020, Jackson was part of River Restoration Project Design and has also worked in the domains of Transportation Design. His project on developing a Learning Management System with universal adaptability was acclaimed by IIM Indore. During Design Activism, Jackson presented case studies that proved extremely relevant to the topic:

Khadi, with a rich history rooted in India's struggle for freedom, is, unfortunately, facing unfair competition from machine-produced textiles that are often cheaper and readily available. Bblewrap proposed to address this problem with a holistic system design approach, involving social innovative activities and directing them to good sales. This proposal condenses the 1.5-year production process to 3 months, showcasing a shift in our commitment to efficiency and innovation.

The Beehive Fence Concept, in response to the human-wildlife conflict in Kerala, India, found successful implementation in Amba village, Wayanad, Kerala by deterring elephants with their aversion to bees. Continued support for farmers beyond initial setup through hive maintenance and effective marketing for locally produced honey will prove essential for sustained success, underlining the importance of community engagement and economic benefits for farmers.

Native Milk Mumbai was facing brand positioning discrepancies and price justification issues. Their A2 milk comes from rare Indian free-grazing cows, hence, the higher price vis-a-vis the usual milk. Our rebranding exercise involved a greener shift from plastic bottles to gable top packages. This decomposable paper-based packaging eliminates daily plastic waste generation as conventional milk reaches homes in plastic packages. To ensure brand visual recall we arrange the familiar restive narrative to the new packages.

MADU is a technology-driven ecosystem for learning and development designed by Bblewrap for Manappuram. User personalisation as per job roles, demographic and behavioural factors are used to enable learning through digital library, learning and examination modules. With over 25,000+ app downloads, it has won two awards at the prestigious Tata Institute of Social Science (TISS)-Leapvault CLO Awards India in the categories of ‘Learning & Development Team of the Year’ and ‘Best Skill Development Initiative.’

Upon the arrival of our specially invited guests, a homemade passion fruit welcome drink and an eco-friendly welcome kit were offered. The paper bag contained a leaflet about the event made from recycled paper, a wood-free newspaper pencil and a small notepad made with handmade paper bound by jute chords. The studio was set up to welcome the guests.

Chinnu Rahul, Human Capital emceed the event which kickstarted at 4.30 pm. Abraham Anil, Head of Motion Design delivered the welcome note during which Arto Sivonnen was welcomed with a handspun silk Khadi shawl by the management.

The event went live on Google Meet and Instagram, attracting viewers from around the globe. Volunteers from Ernakulam Media College under the direction of Sarath Panicker, Video Editor at Bblewrap helped cover the event. After Arto’s session, Jackson Dsilva presented his case studies that deeply resonated with the audience. The event also became the venue where Edible Forest’s Raw Forest Honey was launched and gifted to all the participants. This honey is the result of bee fence cultivation in Wayanad- a brilliant sustainable system designed to keep elephants from entering human settlements.

After the presentations, the guests introduced themselves briefly before breaking for tea and snacks. Steamed Local Delicacies like Elayada, wrapped in Banana leaf and Parippuvada were served along with Tea in the studio backyard, resplendent with the view of the setting sun and the gentle Edapally Thodu flowing gently. Guests interacted with each other over tea during the break. The event resumed after 20 minutes for an Interactive session moderated by Thanuram CA, creative director and co-founder of Bblewrap.

The audience prompted topics of discussion and raised important questions on how decision-makers can make impactful changes. It also opened up the need to form a collective towards discussing, sharing and organizing design-enabled sustainability discourses. Building a community to serve this purpose is underway.

The event formally ended with a vote of thanks by 8.00 pm. Overall, Design Activism 2023 was a success as all attendees obtained rich insights into sustainable design practices to take back home. The audience’s patience, cooperation and active participation aided in the success of the event.