Change

In an interview a few years ago, Matthew Freud said “I’ve always thought of the agency as my eldest child and at first it behaved exactly like a child. But over the last twenty years, it has made me very proud, it has grown up.”

At Freuds, we believe we have always had a willingness to change, and our clients’ have always been open to coming on that journey with us.

Freuds has moved as society has shifted, from an age of image and celebrity into an age of reputation and cause.

There is a famous quote by the 13th-century Persian poet, Rumi, which perhaps best sums up our last forty years.

“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.”

THE COLLECTIVE WILL TO CHANGE LIVES

Over the last four decades, music and the music industry has always been there, but it has also been a bit of an outlier when it comes to our overall output.

And yet, Freuds has been involved in three of the biggest musical undertakings in global history - Live Aid, Live 8, and Live Earth – events that perhaps started to shape the direction of our agency, and began to merge the age of image and celebrity, with reputation and cause.

All three events were organized to raise awareness and funds for critical causes. Live Aid focused on famine relief in Ethiopia, Live 8 aimed to combat poverty and influence G8 leaders, and Live Earth highlighted climate change and environmental sustainability.

And then, from one-off events to a forty-year partnership, there is Comic Relief.

Comic Relief was founded in 1985 by Richard Curtis and Lenny Henry, with a mission to combat poverty and social injustice by raising funds through entertainment – particularly comedy.

The agency has been involved with Comic Relief since its inception and many of the agency's clients have incorporated Comic Relief into their campaigns. Over the decades, Comic Relief has been a true blend of laughter and compassion, supporting countless projects in the UK and around the world.

Live Earth

BUSINESSES' RESPONSIBILITY  TO CHANGE

Governments can make big changes, but at the end of the day, for change to occur, it is really down to business. It is the responsibility of all businesses to embrace sustainability, ethical responsibility, and purpose. Not only to contribute to a better world but also build stronger, more loyal customer relationships, which in turn positively affect sales and growth.

So many brands, businesses and organisations come to Freuds and say, “we’d like a better reputation”.

Our response is always the same – “be better”.

We have worked with countless organisations over the last four decades, helping them determine what they can or shouldn’t do, what impact they can have, and how they can stick to their promises in an ever-evolving landscape.

One of those was in 2006 and the introduction of (PRODUCT) RED - a truly unique business model that harnesses the power of brands to generate money for The Global Fund in the fight against HIV/AIDS among women and children in Africa.

And with the introduction of the Sustainable Development Goals, we have helped businesses address everything from tackling poverty to improving education; workers’ rights to responsible production and consumption; climate action through to reduced inequalities, and beyond – providing organisations with frameworks by which they can see the tangible differences they can make.

Budweiser 100% Renewable

CHANGING HOW WE TALK ABOUT HEALTH

Over the last few decades, Freuds has focused on health initiatives that drive positive social impact and behaviour change, collaborating with government departments, international organizations, charities, and businesses to tackle urgent health challenges. Our work includes campaigns like Stoptober, Change4Life, and Every Mind Matters, which aim to improve public health by encouraging healthier choices and boosting awareness.

We integrate behavioural science into campaigns, using evidence-based approaches to address cultural barriers and incentives. For example, we have worked on initiatives to increase cervical screening uptake, support survivors of domestic abuse, and promoted mental health awareness among men.

Our commitment to health extends globally, including partnerships with organizations like the WHO Foundation to address health disparities and promote sustainable development.

Readdressing the balance

We strongly believe that businesses have the influence to challenge systemic discrimination, promote female leadership, and support marginalized groups. Addressing gender inequality also directly supports the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 5 (Gender Equality), reinforcing a company’s commitment to global progress.

By tackling gender inequality, businesses like ours can be powerful agents of change, while reaping the rewards of a more engaged workforce, stronger trust, and better overall performance.

Mayor Of London Behind Every Great City

Mayor Of London Behind Every Great City

Freuds is deeply invested in this area, from creating its own Important Dinners for Women in Davos, to education for girls with Girl Effect; from women’s rights with (RED) and the Gates Foundation, to promotion of activity and women’s sport with Sport England and Nike.

CHANGING THE BIODIVERSITY NARRATIVE

Freuds has worked in the field of conservation for two decades, helping organisations and brands protect natural habitats and raise awareness of biodiversity issues for life on land, and in water.

Starting with Live Earth in 2007, then activations for Whiskas to protect Big Cats, and Sky to protect our rainforests, the introduction of the Sustainable Development Goals has since seen a flurry of important projects aimed at different conservation needs.

Freuds has worked with The Blue Marine Foundation to protect the oceans from over-fishing; has brought awareness to Sheba creating the world's largest coral restoration program in Indonesia; and helped Mars launch the Lion’s Share, calling on companies to send 0.5% of their media spend to a fund dedicated to supporting the UNDP’s work protecting animal habitats.

And more recently, looking to the near future, Freuds is working with exciting and potentially scientific game-changers in ClimateGPT and Oath Soil.