3 steps to “action optimism”: Images that whet the appetite for the future

We live in turbulent times with many challenges, and this unsettles many people who then believe that the individual can hardly influence the course of events. So does my individual behavior matter at all in a global context? We say very much so! Instead of resignation and shock, right now, we need confidence to courageously shape the future. So the motto is: Regain an overview, realistically sound out opportunities, and, above all, act! This is how we can get out of the depressed passive mode and into the more optimistic active mode.

The tasks of the future—especially the energy transition—require not only long-term thinking but also a willingness to take one step at a time, however small that step may be. This desire for tomorrow, called “action optimism,” is an important element of effective image communication. In our Trends 2023 Inspire, we shed some light on the matter, and today we would like to go over a few exemplary images:

Step 1: Believe in the impact of our actions

The possibilities for individuals to influence social processes are often greater than we think. Take our role as consumers, for example. Every day when we go shopping, we have it in our own hands to decide which product we choose—or whether we need it at all. This starts with the very existential area of food supply. Self-sufficiency and buying food from regional and transparent sources are booming. The meaning is clear: More and more consumers want less industrialized, and more sustainable and trustworthy food production. Westend61 photographer Alona Antoniadis has beautifully captured this trend in her image. The lady with the magnificent rooster in her hands is visibly comfortable in her garden (and one can assume that the fowl is also happy with her). She symbolizes with her gesture “I, too, have it in my hands how we want to live tomorrow.”

Step 2: Make decisions that have an impact

Transport is one of the main emitters of climate-damaging greenhouse gases. That’s why the shift toward more sustainable mobility is a high priority. The personal decision to minimize environmental pollution with fewer exhaust gases is an important step in the right direction. Anyone who drives less; switches to an electric car; or rides a bike, train, or bus more often is not only doing something for clean air and a green conscience, but they are setting an example for others. The fact that this works is evident in the growing number of people who want to travel “green” in one way or another. Like the image of these two women from Maskot’s collection, who are cycling through the city on a cargo bike. With their cheerful looseness, they show that leaving the car behind and getting mobile in a different way is more of a gain than a sacrifice.

Step 3: Demand a future-oriented approach

As consumers become more environmentally aware and critical, industry is forced to align its product ranges and its manufacturing conditions with the principle of sustainability. Only in this way can companies secure the trust of their customers in the long term. Credibility and a corporate set of values that goes beyond growth and profit and also focuses on the common good are becoming increasingly important. Business will not only play an important role in the production of goods, but also in shaping the energy transition—keyword “green technologies.” This will require lots of creativity and good ideas. With this image of a sympathetically smiling engineer in an industrial plant, the Joseffson photographer collective has expressed a basic mood that is just as important as know-how and business acumen, which is a desire for the future and a willingness to actively help shape a better world of tomorrow.

Inspiring confidence for powerful image communication

Every small act can make a difference. Not only does it have a measurable impact, but it also has the potential to inspire and motivate our fellow human beings to contribute something to the common good, in whatever field. This creates a sense both of shared responsibility and of the meaningfulness and effectiveness of our own actions. And that feels much better than sitting despondent and depressed, drowning in one’s own fears.

This good feeling can be used to attract attention to many topics in image communication. This is generally true for any business with a sustainability report—not only car companies, but also, for example, in the fashion industry or financial service providers. But it can also be used by public authorities who want to promote more sustainability; by cities and municipalities that advertise environmental protection measures; by publications that deal with ecological topics for editorial purposes; and by all kinds of institutions that deal with climate change, its consequences, and the necessary countermeasures. We have summarized a very distinct action for optimism image selection in a pinboard as part of our 2023 trend report.