999 Design has created an advertising campaign to launch the Observer's Ethical Awards for 2011.

999 said its approach was to avoid stereotypical ethical imagery and "an apocalyptic tone". The awards scheme is in its sixth year and the campaign aims to make it feel "inclusive to all potential readers".

The ads, which ran for the first time in yesterday's Observer magazine, feature a set of "ethical characters" chosen to "personify the spirit of the awards" and highlight individual categories.

They were illustrated by Oliver Goka, who created them using found and recycled objects.

“The concept of the ethical characters helps to express the important human aspect of the awards and the use of recycled objects to create them really helps to get home the green message in a unique way," said 999 creative Lisa Grace.