From the writings of Umair Haque at HBR on Betterness and the value of Social Enterprise to shift on marketing budgets like the recent Pepsi Refresh Project (that is now commiting additional funds to the Gulf), it feels as if the financial crisis brought a renewed interest in corporate responsalibility and ethics in business.

One of the most remarkable examples of this trend is the joint project between Levi’s and the burrough of Braddock, Pennsylvania. You can get acquainted with the town’s hardship by watching Mayor John Fetterman on the talk below at PopTech, where he shares the story of a city with not much hope a few years ago.

Levi’s and ad agency Wieden Kennedy also became a part of this tale of city reinvention, when creating their campaign Levi’s Ready To Work, built around the spirit and hope of Braddock.

The TV, Outdoor and Print materials are much more than meets the eye; all the people you see in it are residents of Braddock.

You can discover the stories behind the communities inspiring the rebirth of the town on the YouTube channel, and almost feel the spirit of pioneers so dear to the brand. Even if i’m not sure how much Levi’$ is committed on helping Braddock, it’s a shame the channel doesn’t get more reach.

More about the reinvention of Braddock on David Streitfeld’s article on the NYTimes, last February. Hint: good journalism is usually a great source of inspiration for relevant marketing campaigns.

On a related note, fill in the blanks on Bogusky’s interview where he tries to get his genuine voice back.

Rui Vieira played a pivotal role on my decision to change from Draftfcb, as i’ve always admired his creative passion and hard work, both as creative Director at Fullsix and lead OFFF organizer. Also, the chance to join a team known by their excellence in interactive advertising and work with some of the largest brands in Portugal helping them plan their long term web strategy, was something i couldn’t resist.

Expect me to be a lot more active from now on, discussing social media and emerging trends and technologies, but rest assured i’ll keep doing it on my own terms on this blog.
I count on you to help me build a better understanding of digital marketing, expecting feedback from readers on my professional work as well as my social media presence. Don’t let me turn into an arrogant prick, OK ?

I’m almost over with my shameless-self-promotion. Just one more thing to share:

Fullsix Portugal Reel 2008 (Extended Version)

I’m proud of working on a team that does such great work. If you’d like to work with us to help you build your online strategy, you can reach me at armando(dot)alves[at]fullsix(dot)com

Photo by Eole, under a Creative Commons License

Ten years ago i was leaving university, thinking on how i would get along with Business Management, but having fun with Flash 4 on my spare time, while hanging around in IRC and building personal webpages on HotDog HTML editor. At that time, i didn’t even knew there was a job for a digital marketeer much less in advertising.

A few career changes later and past the dot com bubble, i find myself in a place i wouldn’t have dreamed of 10 years ago. The last 5 years have been a reward for always keeping my faith on the enormous potential of the web. New organizational models, the rise of social media, the fall of traditional media, the birth and rise of Google, it’s been a hell of a ride.

What about you, how was your last decade? How has it changed your career? Do you find yourself at the place you envisioned ?