Climate Change:Communicating for Behaviour Shift
Introductions
• Phil Newcombe – Marches Energy AgencyPhil Newcombe – Marches Energy Agency• Nancy Davies - Marches Energy AgencyNancy Davies - Marches Energy Agency
Structure of the day
1. Overview and introduction to audiences2. Activity – understanding your audience3. Activity – mapping the journey4. Presentation – communications5. Activity – creating your message
Social Marketing ‘the systematic application of marketing, alongside other concepts and techniques, to achieve specific behavioural goals, for a social good.’
(French, Blair-Stevens 2006)
The Strategy
1. Understanding the audience
2. Mapping the journey to change
3. Making a clear message
4. Choosing your media
5. Creating lasting changes
Step 1 – Identifying and understanding the audience
• Who are your ‘audience’.
Step 1 – Identifying and understanding the audience
• Who are your ‘audience’.• What are their current attitudes to Climate
Change.
Defra’s ‘Market’ Segmentation1. Positive Greens
2. Waste Watchers
3. Concerned Consumers
4. Sideline supporters
5. Cautious participants
6. Stalled starters
7. Honestly disengaged
1. Positive Greens I think we need to do some things differently to tackle climate change. I do what I can and feel bad about the rest
2. Waste Watchers Waste not want not, that’s what’s important. You should live life thinking about what you’re doing and using.
3. Concerned consumers I think I do more than a lot of people. Still, going away is important, I’d find that hard to give up.. Well I wouldn’t, so carbon offsetting would make me feel better.
4. Sideline Supporters I think climate change is a big problem for us. I suppose I don’t think much about how much water or electricity I use and I forget to turn things off.. I’d like to do a bit more.
5. Cautious participants I do a couple of things to help the environment. I’d really like to do more… well as long as I saw others were
6. Stalled starters I don’t know much about climate change. I can’t afford a car so I use public transport. I’d like a car though.
7. Honestly disengaged Maybe there’ll be an environmental disaster, maybe not. Makes no difference to me, I’m just living my life the way I want to.
Step 1 – Identifying and understanding the audience
• Who are your ‘audience’?• What are their current attitudes to Climate
Change?• What is their current behavioural position?• What may be barriers and motivators to
behaviour change?
Step 2 – Mapping the journey to change
• Choose your actions
Defra’s Headline Actions
Home energy actions
Insulate your home
Be clever about managing energy use
Install small-scale renewable energy technologies
Personal transport actions
When upgrading your car, choose more fuel efficient one
Use the car less for short trips
Avoid unnecessary flights (short haul)
Eco product actions
Buy products that are energy smart not energy guzzling
Eat more food that is locally in season
eat a ‘lower impact diet’
Waste actions
Recycle more
Create less waste
Water actions
Be more responsible about how much water is used
Step 2 – Mapping the journey to change
• Choose your actions• Match actions to audience/frame actions
according to audience
Choosing actions according to audience
Positive greens
Cautious participants
Stalled starters
Renewable energy
Low energy lighting
Free loft insulation
Framing actions for audience:renewable energy
Group Example behaviour Example of how to frame action
Positive greens
Cautious participants
Stalled starters
Support home renewables, plan to get some
Don’t know, don’t care, don’t have the money for it
Know about renewables, don’t see point
Put in touch with grants and support for renewables; recruit to help promote benefits
Promote benefits of renewables, give examples of renewables being used, inform about grants and support
Give examples of renewables being used; perhaps more productive to promote more affordable/easy actions
Step 2 – Mapping the journey to change
• Choose your actions• Match actions to audience/frame actions
according to audience • Overcome barriers and promote benefits
Step 1 Activity
• What are the key behavioural and attitudinal opportunities, issues and implications to consider when seeking to engage these groups?
• What are the most likely possible motivators and barriers for your audience?
Step 2 Activity
• What are the key considerations for the adoption of your areas of action?
• How could actions be best framed to make them acceptable to your audience?
• Which actions would be most likely to succeed with which group?
• How may barriers be minimised and motivators be built upon?
The Strategy
1. Understanding the audience
2. Mapping the journey to change
3. Making a clear message
4. Choosing your media
5. Creating lasting changes
Step 3 - Making a clear message
• Use pictures and imagery
Step 3 - Making a clear message
• Use pictures and imagery• Use a positive tone
Promote the benefits and avoid stories of impending doom
Step 3 - Making a clear message
• Use pictures and imagery• Use a positive tone• Speak the right language
Technical jargon works for some, but can be a real turn off for others
As a general rule, try to keep language light and fun
Speak to people on an equal level rather than talking down to them
Remember to talk to people as part of their group rather than as individuals
Draw people in by talking directly to them, using ‘you’ or ‘we’ – ‘you’re being invited to…’ or ‘we’ve got this great opportunity to…’
Make sure that you use clear, direct requests
Step 4 – What’s your media?
• Match media to audience• Match media to you
Match media to audience
Match media to you
Step 5 Creating lasting changes
• Make connections for stronger impact
Making connections
• Be part of a movement
Making connections
• Be part of a movement• Enlist willing and able
Making connections
• Be part of a movement• Enlist willing and able• Give feedback
Step 5 Creating lasting changes
• Make connections for stronger impact
• Timing
Timing
• Change when changing
Timing
• Change when changing• Communicate regularly
Timing
• Change when changing• Communicate regularly• Use reminders
Step 5 Creating lasting changes
• Making connections for stronger impact
• Timing• Show off
Show off
• Get public
Show off
• Get public• Be obvious
Show off
• Get public• Be obvious• Allow people to be showy
Steps 3 & 4 Activity
• What messages would be effective to use in communicating with these groups about your actions?
• What may be the most effective media to use?