They went back to basics and started with paper and imagination.

Joanne Thomas, executive creative director of design at Jupiter, explains: “We wanted to keep it as simple as possible for people to go out there and #MAKECHANGE. So we chose paper as the base to bring our visuals to life and gave the campaign a very ‘hands on’ feel – it’s an unintimidating material and accessible to everyone. By using paper, you get the impression that the illustrations were created on someone’s desk somewhere - which they were … by hand. In our office.”

Over the course of a five month period, Jupiter’s creative director, Carla Kreuser, and her team painstakingly tore, folded and glued paper buildings, backdrops, props and everything else that one will see during the Design Indaba in Cape Town and the weeks leading up to the conference.

The images for the campaign collateral needed to appear simple and charming but considered. If one looks a little closer at them, one will see the the meticulous detail that went into creating them.

Using print advertising, Jupiter started to introduce the people who already #MAKECHANGE in their communities. Jo Maxwell and her fellow Red Hat Renegades recycle old newspapers to create sleeping bags enclosed in plastic for the homeless. A genius invention made at very little cost. The ad appeared in the Sunday Times and cleverly showed readers how their weekend paper could keep someone warm.

The message was also pulled through to the TV ad. Thomas explains: “A paper spokesperson delivers the #MAKECHANGE manifesto showing how simple it is to make a difference through a chain reaction of events in a paper world.”

At the conference currently taking place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (Wednesday, 25 to Friday, 27 February), attendees will see interactive speaker plinths brought to life and be able to pose for a photo with a paper version of the speakers.

There’s an opportunity to sit with Violet George on one of her benches – in her paper form that is. George loved to walk around Woodstock and chat to the community. A few young folk noticed her walk taking her a little longer than it used to as she was getting tired. So they entered the Design Indaba Your Streets Challenge proposing the installation of foldaway benches along her route. Violet’s Walk is an example of a successful #MAKECHANGE initiative, which will feature as an installation in the CTICC.

Several other #MAKECHANGE projects are underway including a recent collaboration between Jupiter and Design Indaba to assist The Haven Night Shelter in Cape Town. Understanding that some people just need a second chance or a ‘leg up’, the shelter’s website was relooked and now offers people at the Haven an opportunity to profile their skills and work experience through an ‘online CV’.

“We are hoping that by showcasing their experience, people will have the opportunity to find their feet and reintegrate with society again. Everything comes back to #MAKECHANGE, and they are all simple initiatives with big impact that help someone or change something for the better,” says Thomas.

The conference is currently underway, but attendees will leave with a message and purpose to go out there and #MAKECHANGE.

For more information on Design Indaba, visit www.designindaba.com.

For more information on The Jupiter Drawing Room, visit www.thejupiterdrawingroom.com.