Introduction
In this communication plan, The Communication Busters will show you how Greenpeace can influence a certain target group on the issue of global warming and related behavior.
Chapter one will provide you with information about the problem of Global warming, since this report is not only read by representatives from Greenpeace.
In chapter two we are informing you on our problem definition. Furthermore, an description of our target group is being given, plus the campaign objective and our message will be described.
The third chapter portrays the results of our survey that can influence our campaign objective positively and negatively. The negative ones should be tackled, the positive ones should be supported.
Chapter four is dealing with the means we would like to use, while our campaign planning can be found in chapter five.
Finally, chapter six states the way we will evaluate our plan, after the campaign period, to see if our campaign has proven to be effective.
Global warming
The most commonly used description of global warming is: "An increase in the earth's temperature due to the use of fossil fuels and other industrial processes leading to a build-up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere". The emissions of gases like carbon dioxide, CFC and methane are mainly responsible for this build-up. Carbon dioxide, however, is the biggest contributor to this growing problem. Its emissions are caused by:
The extensive usage of fossil fuels by modem man (oil, gas and coal) and the slash-and-burn clearing of tropical forests.
The rise of the earth's temperature, caused by the emissions of these gases, is causing risks at different levels:
Another main reason, why it has proven to be difficult to reduce global warming is that members of the general public do not know or care about the problem. The general public is a vital factor in reducing global warming. They can pressure governments and companies into adjusting policies when it comes to reducing global warming. They can also adjust their own behavior. Small things like turning off the lights and closing the windows can be very helpful to save energy and prevent global warming from further development.
However, many of us do not see global warming as being a problem affecting our lives. This is caused by the fact that we are not personally confronted with the variety of problems connected to global warming. Because of this, we are certainly not aware of the factors causing the problem of global warming and what we can do to prevent it.
The main solution to this problem is a rise in the level of knowledge, combined with a change in attitude and behavior. People need to realize that many normal day activities contribute to global warming and that it is not difficult to change. A campaign on Global warming, aimed at knowledge, attitude and behavior should concentrate on these normal day-to-day activities.
About Greenpeace
Problem definition:
Students at higher economic polytechnic level schools in The Netherlands, who are in the first and second year, only have basic knowledge about the problem of global warming. This and the fact that they do not feel personally responsible for the problem is causing an attitude of not caring and therefor they do not implement behavior that would help reduce the problem of global warming.
Basic knowledge: With basic knowledge it is meant that the students do know what global warming is, but do not know what the consequences are and what can be done to reduce the problem.
Campaign Objective:
After one year of running this campaign:
base numbers will be evaluated after the campaign period. You can read more about the evaluation in chapter six).
The campaign described in the following pages is aimed at Dutch students, attending an economic polytechnic level school, who are in the first and second year. The group size is approximately 50.000 persons. This choice is based upon:
1. Our survey has shown that the students do not implement the behavior that would reduce global warming.
2. Our survey also has shown that our target group members feel that global warming is an important issue.
3. The age-period of our target-group is perfect for influencing them. In this age-period people are more open-minded when it comes to new eas. n this stage of their lives the students develop important thinking-schemes that will probably last their whole life. Because of this reason The Communication Busters believe that they can be influenced into simple behavior that will help reduce the problem of global warming.
4. The Communication Busters have chosen for this somewhat small target group because a more effective campaign can be made when the target group is relatively homogeneous.
5. We have chosen for first and second year students because they can be more easily influenced than students in the third and fourth year. Students in the third and fourth year do not only spend little time at school but have spend their first years not closing windows, not turning out the lights, windows and electric devices Oust check the computer labs of any higher polytechnic school in Holland). Because of this reason we feel that students in the first and second year can be more easily influenced into behavior that will help reduce global warming.
As we have stated before, we have chosen for our target group because they are in the age-category in which they are very open to new ideas. Our survey, for example, has shown that 72% of our target group stated that they were able to help solving the problem of global warming. Also, a survey conducted by a Dutch opinion magazine called "Elsevier" has proven that our target group thinks that the protection of the environment in general is very important.
Most of the students, however, also stated in our survey that they were not implementing a lot of the solutions to help reducing global warming. We can conclude that there is some sort of a split-attitude amongst our target group when it comes to the subject of global warming: They do feel it is important, but they also feel they have to change their whole lifestyle in order to help reduce global warming. Having this in mind, we suggest using simple solutions in the campaign. We have to show the students that global warming reducing behavior is actually very easy. (see appendix I)
A rise in the level of knowledge combined with a change in attitude is necessary for changing the behavior of the target group into one that will help reduce global warming. People need to realize that many normal day activities contribute to global warming and that it is not difficult to change. A campaign on global warming, aimed at knowledge, attitude and behavior should concentrate on these normal day-to-day activities.
A rise in the level of knowledge:
Students must be informed about the problem of global warming due to the fact that they only poses basic knowledge. It is important for Greenpeace to inform the students about the problem and the solutions because the target group will not feel responsible if they do not even know what the problem really is about.
A change in attitude:
It is important to make the students feel responsible for the problem of global warming. If they do not, there will never be a change in their behavior. The message should show the students how global warming is affecting their lives personally, not how global warming is causing problems on the other side of this planet.
It is also important to tell the students that implementing the solutions is actually very easy. We are convinced that, when Greenpeace starts to promote simple solutions, the target group will be more sensitive for other, more difficult solutions in a next campaign. Thus creating what is know as the-foot-between the-door-phenomenon.
Environmental friendly behavior is often associated by the target group with of alternative" lifestyles. We have to make it clear to our target group that environmental friendly behavior is not related to a certain lifestyle.
The three simple solutions we want the target group to implement are the following:
These solutions are chosen because they are simple. The survey has also shown us that these solutions are often not implemented in the students' behavior. This while they also stated in our survey that they are willing to do something about global warming. We think this situation provides us with an excellent chance to influence the target group into behavior that will reduce the problem of global warming. (see appendix 2 )
The campaign slogan: Turn down the heat '99
Turn down the heat' is an excellent slogan because it refers both to the problem and the behavior we want them to implement. ( see appendix 3: The "Turn down the heat "99"' logo)
In this chapter, we are going to show you which factors should be taken into account, when making the campaign. The factors we mention in this chapter influence the outcome of the campaign in a negative or positive way. The negative ones should be tackled, the positive ones should be supported.
Factors concerning the making of the message
The facilities in the polytechnic level schools are usually excellent for behavior that would help reduce the problem of global warming. The students can close and open windows in the canteen, project- and classrooms, and they are allowed to do so.
As mentioned, the students we want to influence have basic knowledge about the problem of global warming. This means we still have to mention the basic knowledge in the message because we want to create a referential scheme for them. This will make it easier for the target group to process the message and will attract more attention.
Our survey has shown us that many students mix up the problem of global warming with the problem of the ozone layer. We have to make a clear distinction between these two environmental problems. This means that CFC-gases, who cause ozone layer but reduce the problem of globalwarming should not be mentioned in the campaign. This will only cause confusion with th e target group because CFC-gases are mostly known inrelation with ozone layer problems.
The fact that the students are not personally involved with the problem means that we have to show them exactly what the consequences will be forming for them if global warming is not stopped. We have to make global warming a more personal problem to the students.
The students have a reasonably positive attitude towards the sender, Greenpeace. There is respect amongst the target group for the thingsGreenpeace has done in the past and is doing right now. This means we can use the name "Greenpeace" to support our message and to attract people to it.
Our survey has shown us that friends are effective opinion leaders for influencing our target group. Because of the fact that many students do not live with their parents anymore, we want to use friends as opinion leaders.
A social intervention plan to influence the target group through their friends would be too expensive. We feel that the target group could also be influenced by their friends if the problem of global warming would be implemented in the teaching process at the schools. By means of lectures and assignments, the students can inform each other about global warming. To implement the problem of global warming in the teaching process, the schools and professors need to be contacted.
The Communication Busters also want to concentrate on the teachers of our Target Group to create a climate that will help the behavior, that we want to implement, "spread" through our target group. We know the students do not often see the professors as role-models, but to create an "anti global warming" environment we definitely need their help. Especially in the more "macho" culture of the economic faculty it sometimes is not a custom to behave environmentally friendly. For years the canteen in this faculty, for example, is struggling with the problem of people leaving their garbage on tables and floors.
Medium variables
The message is meant to affect reactions: The students must close their windows, turn off electric devices before leaving the room and buy energy saving devices. To affect these reactions we want to make use of both transitory (Events, TV, radio and newspapers) and permanent media (magazines, brochures). The transitory media are used to attract peoples attention to our message. The permanent media can be used by the students get background and "how to" information. The more senses stimulated by a medium, the more effective the message will be conveyed. Because of this fact we want to make use of media that stimulates more senses (TV and especially events) to attract peoples attention to our message. By doing this we will have a better chance that our target group is attracted to other media that stimulate less senses (brochures, articles) but contain more important background and "how-to" information.
To attract the attention of our target group, we want to make use of the following means:
By what means can the different campaign goals, as defined in chapter two, be met. A complete time planning of the event in May '99 and the whole campaign can be found in chapter five.
1. 80% of the target group knows about the campaign
Starting off at September 1998 with the small events in the higher economic polytechnic level schools . Here the students can get informed about the solutions while drinking beer and listen to local student bands. We have planned a second (indoor) local event in February 1999. Usage of posters in the schools, advertisements in school and department newspapers and local radio-stations and newspapers to get publicity for the local events and the three solutions.
2. 50% should be able to mention the causes of Global warming
To achieve this we suggest using posters, advertisements in school- and department newspapers and local radio-stations to get publicity. In addition to these media we are also going to use brochures to make clear to our target group what the causes of global warming are. We want these brochures to be used by the target group in a later stage, because then they are already familiar with the message and will have more attention for the (more detailed) information in the brochure.
We want to convey this message to our target group in a different way than others have done it. We want to make it a more personal problem for the students: What will be their (financial) problems when Global warming if everyone keeps spilling energy?
3. 25% is able to mention two of the three solutions mentioned in the campaign
To achieve this goal, usage of the same media as discussed in the previous two is recommended. We want to remind the students constantly about the three solutions they can implement. We want it to become a "second nature" to them.
4. 15% is implementing the behavior of closing windows and turning off electric devices before leaving the room
In order to achieve this goal, it is important that the target group knows how to do it and that they feel good about their new behavior. Because the behavior we, want the students to implement is not very difficult, we are able to use both transitory- and permanent media to inform them about how to implement the new behavior. We want to use the transitory media to get the students to feel good about the global warming safe behavior. By using peers and role models on events and in Radio- and TV-commercials we want to achieve a positive attitude toward the new behavior.
5. 8% is buying energy saving light bulbs
Because this behavior is more difficult we only want to use permanent media, in this case brochures, to tell the students where they can buy these energy saving light bulbs and what the benefits are. They can read our message quietly in their own time and discover the advantages. Again we want to use the transitory media to achieve a positive attitude towards buying these energy saving devices.
Starting a discount campaign on energy sufficient light bulbs, exclusively for students is a possibility. Publicity for this campaign, could be generated by the before mentioned media. Also, we want to contact Philips or another light-bulbs manufacturing company to get them to use this special campaign in their advertisements and on their energy-saving light-bulb packages. The student public transit card can be used to discriminate the students from non-students.
6. 3% has visited the event at the end of the campaign
To achieve this goal we first start to mention the event in the brochures, posters etc. A few weeks in advance a campaign promoting the event will start in the mass media. At this point the students already have some information about the event and they will easily recognize the commercials. By using these commercials we also want them to get a positive feeling about the event: a feeling that they will have a good time on the event and that a lot of other students will be there too.
The Communication Busters suggest that except for the smaller event in September and the Internet page, the campaign should be building up to a climax, which is the big event on May 1 Oth 1999. This could not only attract more people to the event (which gives us a better chance to influence them), but could also generate more free publicity. After the event we still want to broadcast, advertise and hand out brochures, but not as intensively as before the event.
We also suggest not making extensive use of mass media like national radio and TV, because the target group is relatively small. The costs of these media would not be consonant with the resulting publicity. This is why we have chosen for more smaller and local means. We only want to use the national TV and radio commercials a few weeks in advance to remind people of the event in the Jaarbeurs in Utrecht. The smaller local events will be promoted by radio commercials, broad casted by popular local youth stations, e.g. OOG-radio in the city of Groningen.
Eco-teams
To organize the smaller events at the higher economic polytechnic level schools we want to contact these schools. Our goal is to set up Eco-Teams in which help setting up local campaigns. Under Greenpeaces guidance these EcoTeams will organize the following:
1. the smaller events and set up local publicity campaigns
2. a campaign to influence the professors into global warming friendly behavior and into implementing global warming related subjects into the teaching process.
3. a publicity campaign to reduce global warming; Each higher economic polytechnic school can design a campaign to influence a certain target group, make a video-film and a banner which all will be shown during the event in the Jaarbeurs.
If possible, students should earn free credits for this. If this construction would fail, it is possible to use people who just finished their Communication study. When this is the case, we will have to pay the Eco-teams a salary instead of costs / free credits, but we can use less Eco-Teams because they will work fulltime. But we are in favor of using students in the Eco-teams because, as we mentioned before, our target group is very susceptible to peer influence.
The event
The Communication Busters plan on organizing a Greenpeace event specifically designed for the target group. The theme for this event is "Turn Down the Heat '99". By this large event, we want students to know that solutions on global warming are easy and very simple to partake in. Informing students that they do not need to change their entire lifestyle in order to be environment friendly. Also letting them feel personally responsible for the problem of global warming.
Therefore, this event has five specific booths designed by Communication Busters for Greenpeace. The first three booths each portrays one of the simple solutions, which our entire campaign is designed around. The solutions will consist of
The other two booths will consist of merchandise for the students to purchase and a game which has to do with global warming. The reason we chose to design this event, is the fact that students showed through their responses on our survey, that they are also very susceptible to influence of famous role models who are in the same age-category. So when compiling this event together, we took the most popular responses from the surveys and found that the majority watch \ listen to The Music Factory (TMF). This enabled Communication Busters to decipher that students would listen more to popular guest speakers, bands and hosts \ hostesses who spoke about Global warming, and therefore could relate terms and problems, more along layman's terms for the students, thus making the message more perceptible.
This event will enable students to take part in various activities, which relate to Global warming, and at the same time, teach them about the simple solutions in which they can practice themselves. A complete schedule for organizing the Turn down the heat 99 event in Utrecht is listed in chapter five.
Campaign planning
July -98 : Start organizing the "Turn down the Heat'99" event of May'99.
Mojo concerts
Start making the printed means
Start making the audio-visual means
Talk with Philips and other energy- saving-light-bulbs producers about discounts for students
Contact school-boards to set up
September '98
Start advertising in schools bus-stops, busses, school-papers
Start handing out brochures
Start informing the teachers
Start informing school-board
Global warming related subjects in to the teaching process
October'98 Small events at the higher polytechnicl evel schools
November'98 Evaluation to see if we are on schedule with campaign goals
February'99 Small events at the higher polytechnic Start free publicity campaign
March '99 Start radio- and TV-commercial
Intensive advertising for campaign publicity
Evaluation to see if we are on schedule with campaign goals
June '99 Less intensive advertising campaign
September'99 Final evaluation
The event-planning is divided into two separate planning stages. The first monthly preparation planning of the preparation of the event. The other planning is on detailed on the festival day itself.
Planning 10th of May 1999.
Day? Time? What?
Friday 8am Sign in for schools
Once signed in, groups can start setting up their booths
10am WELCOME: presented by host/hostesses from TMF (they will be informing everyone about global warming)
11am Host/hostesses introduce Erykah Badu (she gives insight on global warming)
1130am TMF hosts show videos of schools inaction
.12pm Lunch provided by Caribbean Food Company
Music performed by Wes
More videos being shown, with some background information
lpm Judging of booths
Recognition of schools and banners they made for
Lenny Kravitz insight
23Opm Announcement of booth winners winners
Introduce the Fugees, they give insight\sing
Show the remaining videos of schools
330pm Wrap-up of day events presented by Vionna
Announce winner of banner
5-6 p.m. Get ready for dinner
630pm Dinner
All guests, hosts and bands will be attending
Introduction to evening by TMF hosts
Handing of awards for banners, booth and solution and thanking everyone
l0pm Dance
13pm Closure of event by TMF hosts
Evaluation methods
In the evaluation we check if we have reached our objectives within the stipulated time, using the means stated.
Our objectives for the campaign are:
1. 80% of the target group know about the campaign
2., 50% is able to mention the causes of Global warming
3. 25% is able to mention the three solutions mentioned in the campaign
4. 15% is implementing the behavior of closing windows and turning off electrical devices before leaving the room
S. 8% is buying energy saving devices
6. 3% has visited the event at the Jaarbeurs in Utrecht
We want to evaluate NR. 5 by checking how much energy saving light-bulbs have been sold by students. We want to check NR. 6 by checking the attendance on the "Turn Down The Heat '99"-event.
To evaluate the other goals, we want the Eco-Teams to conduct short personal interviews with members of the target group to see if the campaign has worked. To double-check these interview-results the Eco-teams are also going to conduct a-select surveys in every school amongst our target group, students at the higher Economic polytechnic level schools in the first and second year.
On the next page you can find a draft of the final evaluation-survey we want to conduct when the campaign has ended.
Evaluation survey (Draft)
What do you think is "Turn down the heat'99"?
What are causes of Global warming?
What are ways to reduce Global warming?
Which behavior have you implemented in your normal-day behavior?
As you have seen in the campaign-planning we have also build in evaluations during the campaign. If an evaluation in October and March would point out that we are behind on schedule we can always decide to intensify our publicity campaign.
Medium Mean Cost Grand total
Event Brochure: NLG 5,000 NLG 5,000
A4 single folded
Double side print
full color print
30.000 pieces
Mailing, 15,000 NLG 20,000
Advertisements NLG 70,000 NLG 90,000
Including designing and publishing in school papers, mupi's near schools and bus stops near schools
Smaller events NLG 30,000 NLG 120,000
appr. 30 events
Turn Down the Heat Festival appr.NLG IOO,000 NLG 220,000
RTV Radio-commercial
Production NLG 1,000
Airtime NLG 5,000 NLG 226,000
Television-commercial
Production NLG 10,000
Airtime NLG 30,000 NLG 266,000
Internet Designing NLG 7,500
site: Running site for one year NLG 2,000' NLG 275,500
Evaluation Handling costs NLG 5,000 NLG 280,500
Unexpected NLG 19,500 NLG 300,000
costs
-TOTAL NLG 300,000
Price based on running the site for one complete year from an already existing server. If the site runs from an independent server, costs could rise to an NLG 10, 000 per year.
Appendix I Survey results qst.
To the question: "Do you think you are able to help, solving the problem of Global warming?",
In the survey Dutch opinion-magazine "Elsevier" conducted our target group stated that, on a scale of I to 10, the protection of the environment should be awarded with a 7.9. This number is relatively high compared with the other important issues they had to grade: The average grade was a 7. 1.
Appendix 2 Survey results qst.
The survey conducted by the Communication Busters has shown that the 3 solutions, although they are very simple, are not implemented very often in the behavior of our target group, I st and 2nd year students of higher economic polytechnic level schools.
Do you: Yes no