Business, Social, One Vision

It is commonly acknowledged that the social economy struggles to gain visibility. Initiatives, projects, and communities abound, yet what often remains unseen are not only the stories of those who daily combine profit with social purpose, but also the values and key messages that drive this sector. Communicating these principles effectively—more frequently, more clearly, and with fresh, engaging languages—remains a major challenge.

With this in mind, Torino Social Impact – which has long invested in communication as a strategic tool – has chosen an unconventional approach to engage its local stakeholders and highlight the values it promotes. The result is a full-scale advertising campaign, spanning traditional channels and using languages typical of advertising, anchored around a single, strong slogan: Business, Social, One Vision.

The campaign aims to promote the social economy and showcase the diversity of the Torino Social Impact network, offering a new vision of the economic model for Turin and its territory. It also contributes to Torino Social Impact’s mission of positioning Turin as one of the best places in the world to pursue impact-driven business and finance. From September 20 to mid-November, the campaign is visible across Turin through billboards and dynamic tram advertising. In parallel, a digital promotion will target Turin, Milan, Bologna, and Genoa.

One Vision seeks to express Torino Social Impact’s philosophy: a synergistic approach connecting profit and non-profit worlds, building a bridge between the two. The message fosters a sense of belonging among both profit and non-profit sectors, inviting everyone to see business and social engagement as not separate and to embrace a unified vision and therefore increase partnerships, collaboration and mutual exchanges.

Torino Social Impact seeks to offer an impact economy model for the city and its territory. It does so primarily through daily work, carried out since its inception 2017, with ever-growing community involvement. Today, over 400 entities participate, including businesses, institutions, financial operators, and third-sector organizations—a cluster of skills, activities, and services aimed at strengthening and promoting the local ecosystem within the framework of the 2030 Agenda. For the first time, it is using advertising as a strategic tool to highlight the value of its network, emphasizing those ecosystems where economic profitability and social impact go hand in hand. 

The Message and Call to Action

One eye on growth, one eye on social impact. Over 400 entities, both profit and non-profit, have already joined the idea of an economy that positively impacts people and the environment. Learn more at torinosocialimpact.it. 

To send the message, Marco Rubiola, creative and founder of piazzasanmarco.com — who has previously worked on these themes with Oliviero Toscani, Fabrica, and Save The Duck — focused on an image that aesthetically conveys a broader, non-dichotomous economic vision: one eye on economic growth, one eye on social development, simultaneously. 

The Creative Idea

The inspiration comes from the portrait of a “tomorrow” person, ideally a potential entrepreneur of a future already present. One eye is styled in a more classic, “business” way, while the other evokes diversity and “social” commitment. Both perspectives can (and should) coexist, as harmoniously as they do in a face. The tone is positive, lateral, and free from moralistic or imperative tones. The model embodying the message represents a new kind of “beauty,” boldly drawing from the worlds of advertising and fashion to make this new vision of the economy desirable.

Advertising Channels

From September 20 to mid-November, the campaign will be displayed in Turin through billboards and dynamic tram advertising. In parallel, digital promotion will target Turin, Milan, Bologna, and Genoa. Digital efforts will also focus on cities with which ongoing discussions on our themes already exist, emphasizing the importance of collaboration between local ecosystems and reinforcing Turin’s willingness to create a network of territories for impact-driven business and finance.

The strategic role of communication in the European social economy policy

The strategic role of communication in the social economy has been highlighted at the European level. Both the Action Plan for the Social Economy adopted in 2021 and the EU Council Recommendation for developing framework conditions for the social economy adopted in 2023 underline the need to communicate more and better about this sector. The One Vision campaign participates in this international conversation, offering a fresh, disruptive approach compared to traditional methods used in the social sector, inviting stakeholders to join a new way of understanding and practicing the economy—where business and social impact are complementary.

Article authors: Torino Social Impact