Author: Joe Lazauskas / Source: The Content Strategist

Rob Holzer remembers the first time he came to Cannes six years ago after starting Matter Unlimited, an agency focusing on ad campaigns that drive positive social change.

“People would sort of just tilt their head nicely and be like, “Oh. That’s nice,” Holzer recalls. “But, like, how are you guys going to make any money?”

Since then, Matter Unlimited has thrived helping brands from Merck to Google to HP find and communicate their purpose. This year, the agency even won a Bronze Lion for PUSH, a video for Merck.

At the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity, I talked with Holzer about how brands can take a stand about what they care about.

“Taking a stand is always hard, and especially if you’re a product because you just are so scared to alienate anyone,” Holzer told me. “But you know what’s interesting, especially in today’s political climate that we’re dealing with in 2017, brands don’t really have a choice anymore.”

Check out the full interview below, which was created as part of our Accountable Innovation Series in partnership with Magnet Media, an industry-leading global strategic studio.

Transcript:

Joe Lazauskas: Welcome to Accountable Innovation at Cannes. I’m Joe Lazauskas, editor-in-chief of Contently, and I’m here with Rob Holzer, CEO and founder of Matter Unlimited. But more importantly, the winner of a fresh, brand new bronze lion on Saturday in the healthcare industry. Congratulations first of all.

Rob Holzer: Thank you very much.

Joe: And the work you guys do, it’s focused on an acting positive change. It’s some of the most inspiring and innovative work in the industry. I’ve just loved binging through all of your work examples on your site. But a lot of people would think that’s a handicap from a business model perspective, right? To be so focused on doing work and its positive change. So how do you make that work as a business?

Rob: It’s funny being here in Cannes because I remember the first Cannes that I came to as Matter Unlimited about five, six years ago and I was telling people I’m going to start this agency and we’re only going to do good. We’re only going to work on purpose-led and positive social impact work. And…

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