Having used their Four Freedoms concept to strengthen creative culture since 1987, advertising and marketing network DDB have reimagined their core concepts in a new launch.
The New York based network believe that the concept of the Four Freedoms, which has been a core part of their company since the eighties, needed an update to reflect the shifts seen in culture and how creative work is seen and produced.
While the original Four Freedoms was a guide to management and how to lead a team, the relaunch reflects both top-down and bottom-up ownership, inclusive of every level in the organization.
The Freedoms’ names remain the same despite the change in nomenclature, and include Freedom from Fear, Freedom to Fail, Freedom from Chaos and Freedom to Be.
The rebranding also includes a new focus on five behaviours that will help members of the team ‘live and breathe’ the new values, including empathy, trust, inclusion, humility and drive.
DDB Worldwide chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer Nikki Lamba said: “The world as we knew it 35 years ago, when the Four Freedoms were originally written, is unrecognizable in many ways.”
“Our ability to be successful in a world that continues to change continually rests on our ability to foster an inclusive culture that prioritises freedom.”
The four freedoms include:
· Freedom from Fear: The most innovative work comes from brave thinkers, not timid souls. We will inspire courage in each other if we act with positive intent, share accountability, and have each other’s backs when things get tough.
· Freedom to Fail - To stretch the limits of what’s possible and create unexpected work, we will embrace failure. Not with reckless abandon, but with the intention of exploring new and untested territories. When an experiment fails, it’s an opportunity to learn, not to blame.
· Freedom to Be - DDB is a place to grow personally as well as professionally. If we bring our whole selves to work, and combine our unique perspectives and passions, we will make each other more interesting. We’ll enjoy the space for personal fulfillment, laughter, joy and celebration. And it will show in the things we make.
· Freedom from Chaos - We all deserve to be treated like our time and energy are valuable. Together we will strive to make the objectives clear, the processes simple, and the workplace free of unnecessary drama, so we can focus on what we do best and love most.
