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?