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Picture this. You walk into a large glass-fronted building. Inside, it’s light and airy. There’s the murmur of people talking quietly, the soft clink of coffee cups. You get on to an escalator, and rise up through the building’s atrium, past floors with comfy seats and spaces for kids to play. You step off the escalator and are surrounded by shelves with items laid out for you to touch and interact with. You spend an hour browsing, and then head downstairs to the basement to catch a film.

What is this place? An upmarket department store or shopping mall? No, it’s the Deichman Library – the main public library in Oslo, Norway. 

This gap – between our expectations of and aspirations for our public services versus private consumption – is the inspiration behind Global Action Plan’s Luxury For All concept.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Like many in the environmental movement, Global Action Plan is striving for a better future for us all – and part of this involves reimagining the way we live. Here’s our top tips for bringing a brighter alternative to life. 

Listen openly 

We wanted to ask: what would luxury that's fair to people and planet look like? To answer this question, we needed to gather inspiration from real-life examples. In the first series of the Our Lives, Our Planet podcast, we sought out experts who have put these ideas into practice. We wanted to hear from diverse voices about the reality of living an alternative future – both the benefits and the challenges. This gave us rich insight into what it takes to make it happen. 

Embrace creativity 

Imagination is a powerful tool. To redefine luxury, we built a true creative partnership with Middlesex University’s School of Art. This was not simply a case of issuing a brief and waiting for a response. We worked together to turn insight into a creative concept. Led by their specialists in theatre production and performance, the process was driven by young creatives who lent their talents to devising a vision of the future. 

Do the unexpected 

To really bring this to life, we needed to do something bold – to find a new way to tell the story and inspire audiences. Our creative partnership resulted in an immersive experiential event that led guests to imagine what Luxury For All would look, sound and feel like. We took a topic that can feel intangible and unattainable and made it real, prompting the audience to confront their assumptions and shift their aspirations. 

If you’re looking to communicate a topic that is tricky and inaccessible, get in touch to talk about how we can help you creatively reframe the issue and connect with your audience.