Putting your cards on the table
By Sharath Bhat
Creative Director / Advertising Writer
“Cards of Change” is a transit portal for people who get the pink slip. It was launched recently by a small team that left TBWA/Chiat/Day in Los Angeles, California. Tom Van Daele, former creative director at TBWA/Chiat/Day, and founder of Unknownlab, is behind this unique concept that puts people back on the re-hire radar.
I liked the branding around this exercise and how re-cycling your old card becomes the first step to a new tomorrow. When someone gets laid off, he usually has a stack of business cards that would normally go into the shredder. Tom’s advice to people is not to do that in a fit of anger and frustration. And that’s where “cardsofchange” comes in.
What you first have to do is strike-through the contact information on your old card, pencil in your new digits and add a small mission statement for good measure. Next, scan the card or take a real close-up picture; that’s the image you need to upload when you sign up at the “cardsofchange” portal.
Once your card goes online, it’s part of a gallery that employers and head hunters can access for potential re-hires. Your link on “cardsofchange” can also be shared across Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Digg, Reddit and other social networking sites.
Unknownlab is a strategic and creative partnership bringing together award-winning marketers, creative entrepreneurs and technology executives. Unknownlab leverages emerging design and technology talent, marketing innovation and product development and uses it to push brands forward. Unknownlab drives business through innovation. Innovation that drives conversation. Unknownlab is founded by Tom Van Daele, previously Creative Director at TBWA\CHIAT\DAY. Unknownlab is headquartered in Santa Monica, California and operates around the world to offer a global mindset paired with local, cultural integration.
I mailed Tom to find out more. This article has excerpts of the chat I had with Tom, on the “cardsofchange” launch.
Related links:
http://www.cardsofchange.com
http://www.unknownlab.com
