How electronic music creates change

Techno started as something that was about more than just music: it gave a voice to the people who needed it most. Nowadays, that inherent part of Techno is not always as visible. This poses the question whether DJs, even though they have grown more and more successful on a commercial level, still feel the responsibility to use their power of speech to create awareness among their audience and inspire their community to create real change.

Beirut-based DJ Tala Mortada: “One of our challenges is to make an impact on a very blasé society, that’s used to things being ‘said’ and never ‘done’. Which is why we always try to make things happen, before being loud about them, in order to prove that it’s not just a commercial marketing gimmick, we mean it and we prove it and we would love it if you join us. The idea to influence our growing crowd positively feels like a necessity and not a choice for a club like ours.”

Vivie-Ann (CA) Blond:ISH: “It’s such a refreshing experience. When you have influence, and especially influence through music, it opens up an extremely interesting door, a door to a space to create much more meaningful connections with your community, fans and everyone in our industry connecting through music on something we can all relate to. OUR EARTH. One message or phone call away. That direct connection doesn’t happen to a grocery store chain. Music is the key here.”

Alongside Tala Mortada and Vivie-Ann other influential artists Sam Feldt (NL) and Dave Clarke (UK) will share during this panel how they use their power of speech to create awareness among their audience and engage their fans to face complex sustainability and social issues.

How can brands use their status and influence to contribute to our world? Some brands are founded to contribute to solving specific environmental or social issues like The Body Shop, Tony Chocolonely and Dopper. These brands attract conscious consumers who share the same ideals and purpose. As these brands gain more attention among the masses, they grow more and more popular. Whether or not this happens because of their vision, it does help these brands on their mission to bring about positive change. But how about brands that are not born out of idealism? How do they relate to the idea of having a positive environmental and social impact? In order to be regarded as something more than simply a commercial venture, these brands would have to change their policies and undergo a drastic transformation. A great example how to use the power of a brand for social change is Nike’s campaign with NFL player Colin Kaepernick launched last summer.

Dieuwertje van Damen, founder of Rainbow Collection agency dives into the world of brands who use their power of speech. Do commercial brands feel a responsibility to use their influence to generate awareness for social and environmental topics, even if they may not be directly related to their own core business? And how can brands in the event industry unite and inspire people to contribute to society, while ensuring they are having a great time every step of the way? Together with Q-Dance and Wonderfruit, we will discuss what it takes to transform a brand that is built to entertain into a brand that actually makes a difference whilst still entertaining.

ADE Green is all about sharing knowledge and expertise as well as stimulating innovation, sustainability and social change. With a community of like-minded people, brands and organisations in the music industry, ADE Green aims to inspire a large audience to engage and change behaviour for a sustainable future. The full ADE Green program will be announced in the coming weeks.