An Interview with Andrew Smart, Changing Faces
When it comes to changing how society sees visible difference, awareness-raising campaigns and advocacy work are powerful tools for challenging misconceptions and shifting mindsets. But creating acceptance happens over time rather than overnight.
As part of its Legacy Programme research, the VTCT Foundation identified the benefits of setting up a centralised workstream to help amplify the voices of Appearance Collective charities.
By pooling resources and coordinating awareness campaigns – whether maximising impact during Face Equality Week or sharing insights via an annual members’ conference – this collaborative forum has the potential to boost visibility and strengthen influence with policymakers via a unified voice to drive real change.
Bold ideas that leave a lasting impression
At the London Showcase this summer, Andrew Smart demonstrated how one campaign can start a conversation that changes perceptions and moves us towards a more inclusive society.
Building on learnings from previous campaigns, the deliberately provocative ‘Face for Radio’ project was launched by Changing Faces in February 2025. In particular, the charity knew that normalising visible differences could help the community felt seen as regular people in public, rather than villains or victims.
Working with marketing group MSQ, they devised a two-part campaign to inspire an industry shift and promote more positive representation in media and advertising. To ensure an authentic voice, Changing Faces involved campaigners throughout the six-month planning process, putting their lived experiences at its heart.
The first focus was to produce thought-provoking billboards across London. Combined with social media films featuring Changing Faces ambassadors, these helped drive the public debate on the need to increase representation, while generating valuable trade press and broadcast coverage.
The secondary aim of the campaign was an industry pledge encouraging British brands to commit to making people with visible differences more visible in their marketing collateral.
When to pause, pivot or persevere
Building emotional connections is key to behaviour change campaigns. Yet resistance can be a natural human response to change, and part of the process.
For Changing Faces, securing pledges from well-known companies was complicated by the discovery of how many different teams can be involved in determining an organisation’s EDI commitments.
Whilst the campaign received 45 pledge signatories from creative organisations, blue chip companies proved harder to enrol. Some large organisations faced governance hurdles to committing to such a public gesture, whilst others hesitated, fearing a potential backlash to any public admission that they could do more from an EDI perspective.
However, the exercise still proved an important stepping stone to longer-term change.
It provided a valuable opportunity to start conversations with big-name corporations, explain why change made sound business sense, and provide informal guidance behind the scenes. What’s more, the campaign enabled the charity to develop relationships with many of the production teams, casting agents and script writers that support high-profile brands.
Critically, this insight is already helping to shape the direction of the charity’s next campaign; ‘Face for Everything’. And Changing Faces remains committed to celebrating the brands that take meaningful, visible steps towards a more diversified representation.
ADVICE & CONSIDERATIONS
- Engage your community: Involving people with a visible difference from the beginning will help authentically reflect their experiences and increase the campaign impact.
- Trustee buy-in: Guide conversations with trustees as early as possible. Focus on what the campaign seeks to achieve, why the chosen creative approach will help deliver this, and which areas of the project you do – and don’t – need their input and opinions on.
- Campaign objective: Raising awareness is not a goal but a means to prompt action. All parties must be clear from the start on what you want the campaign to achieve.
- Controversy can work: Provocative campaigns can be a powerful way to cut through the noise, disrupt stereotypes and start conversations. But they must be done for the right reasons, well-researched and credible to resonate and avoid reputational risk.
- Encourage creativity: Whether working with outside experts or an in-house team, be clear on campaign goals and expectations – including audience targets, brand values and any elements you won’t compromise on – whilst giving the freedom to think creatively.
- Be flexible: Your original plan and what you go on to deliver may be quite different. Recognise that it’s fine to zig-zag as long as you are true to the original project intent and use insights to adapt your strategy along the way.
- Measure impact: Be clear on what success looks like and how you’ll measure progress, from social media reach to how the public engage with the campaign. And apply what you’ve learned to future campaigns.
- Be transparent: Communicate progress – both good and bad – honestly with supporters.
- Celebrate progress: Keep supporters and team members motivated by acknowledging successes and sharing achievements.