With the development of Avoid.net Liam wishes to promote a more conscious and informed society. Providing easily accessible, ethical consumer information linked from the Avoid.net wiki, he believes individuals within a conscious society can inform one another of the dangers and/or the affects of products or services; thus, making a safe, informed, conscious community of consumers. Exposure is power and Liam wanted to create the platform which was not only multi-faceted but acts as an evolving tool where the content is developed by online communities wishing to share truths of media and a collection of ethical consumer information.
Through his current studies in Semiotics at the University of Toronto , Liam continues to expand upon his knowledge of the advertising world. If you are wondering, as I did, what Semiotics is; it’s the study of symbols and signs as a form of communication. Analyzing various systems of communication such as language, gestures, or clothing can all be categorized as Semiotic studies. Obviously the connection between symbols and advertising has been a topic of debate for some time now, however let’s imagine a site that allows you to share and investigate truths in media; this is Avoid.net.
This concept created quite a stir among the panelists of lead advertisers during the McLuhan Festival of the Future; where Liam first showcased his ideas for information awareness. The McLuhan Festival of the Future MIFF, VORTEX program enabled youth finalist an opportunity to meet an advisory board of panelists consisting of major representatives currently working within the media industry in Toronto. These innovative minds in media culture would provide further developmental insight to the finalist, expanding their prototype to an innovative new media business venture. Throughout the four day program at the Drake Hotel Underground in Toronto, finalists engaged in 15-minute meetings with industry leaders. With the help of two close friends, Liam chose to participate in this opportunity and through the creation of a mock site, the panelists provided feedback. These advertising/media leaders believed that the idea wouldn’t work legally. Liam was happy to hear their opposition because this led him to believe he was on the right track, considering the panel consisted of advertisers and media affiliated agencies, who would lose their clout with their clients if they were to concede to such an idea.
Now, balancing four University courses, his own enterprise and other various initiatives; Liam recently won an award and recognition for his work as a leader in Global Youth Social Entrepreneurship at the GK3 conference this past December.
“Winning GK3 was a major defining moment for me”, says Liam, “travelling to Malaysia, getting to experience the reach of this project first hand and speaking with other winners from around the world. A woman from Africa sharing with me stories of infant mortality, is just one example. It really opened my eyes to how far this project has taken me.”
Liam also participated in an interesting educational personal development program called Katimavik. The Katamavik program, created by the Canadian government allows students to be in charge of their own studies by allowing the student to build their own ideal learning program. Students budget the costs of each course they wish to partake in, allowing the student to have control of their own personal overall learning outcomes. The students have the options and financial support to travel across Canada and learn from a variety of prestigious Canadian schools. The acquired experience Liam received from this unique program in combination with the seven years of drama and recent exploration of improv; has made Liam very well spoken and articulate. He suggests that his biggest asset is his voice.
“Talking to people, anyone who will listen, really makes a difference.” However, Liam adds “you should make sure you have the essence of what your mission is, clearly defined in your own mind so you don’t detract from the point and lose the interest of your listeners.” Affirming his strong beliefs in giving and receiving advice and experiences, Liam hopes the site can act as a tool to promote and nurture open dialogue when thinking about media, advertising and customer and global consumption policies.
When we ask Liam to offer advice for other potential social entrepreneurs, his first response was “to make sure you are involved in something fun and creative, you need to be passionate about what you are doing" If it isn’t fun and bringing you enjoyment he advises against even starting the idea.
With so much on the go, Liam balances his tasks by making a list of things he hopes to accomplish the night before; he says creating a list of all ideas helps him commit to getting those things done the next day. “One key point to always remember is not to stress the things you don’t have control of.” He explains that by letting go of things that he can’t change or complete at that moment allows him to focus on things that he can complete, affording him other successes.
“Getting the site started was a huge step, an achievement, taking that first step really set the play in motion.” Although he has never had financial support to develop this project, Liam says that working with others has been a powerful incentive to work towards his goal. The success of this project can be contributed mostly to word of mouth, talking with others and participating in events within his community both locally and globally. This boost of collaboration builds his confidence to continue his dreams.
Liam suggests, “Have patience and understanding with people you are working with, especially when working with friends. It is almost easier to work with individuals you don’t know because it can be unfair to expect friends to progress at the speed in which you hope to evolve.”
Liam’s biggest challenge thus far has been his technical knowledge, because of this he is constantly working on appropriate time management. However, each experience brings new knowledge and with that Liam has started to develop a strong focus on functionality and tools which online users can interact with for free on Avoid.net. Check out the ‘Pandora Activist Kit', it is an interesting call to action for individuals who are aware or want to be aware of the current dangers we face regarding consumption policies and curbing our false desires and stimulated consumption provoked by advertising.
The hardest and easiest way to affect change is to look in the mirror.
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