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(originally posted on MediaPost’s “Marketing:Green” January 5, 2011) In today’s digital age, people are so inundated with information that it can be hard to figure out what’s worth paying attention to and what’s not. For those of us focused on helping individuals make smart environmental choices, it can be difficult to grab attention, let alone get people to move beyond simple awareness to actually taking action. Convincing people to change their way of thinking from a consume-and-dispose one to a consume-and-save approach is certainly tricky, but not impossible. The key is figuring out how to make the first, simple action an attractive one.

The hallmark of most social marketing campaigns is to affect change by sharing information and increasing awareness through the use of traditional channels such as print advertisements or radio public service announcements. Some initiatives use celebrity endorsements or distribute coupons, but giving and obtaining information is only half the battle.

How do you move people to act? What’s needed is direct interaction between an individual and a trusted source to help people take the initial step, but this is easier said than done. The good news is that, after the first step has been taken, spurring subsequent changes is often easier and can result in sustained behavioral change.

There are different approaches to attempting behavior change, such as incorporating prevention strategies into outreach efforts or instituting programs and policies to drive specific behavior. Working to establish and convey certain social norms — or accepted standards for behavior — can also be particularly effective.

Community-Based Social Marketing

One approach in particular — community-based social marketing — attempts to take behavioral change to another level by understanding barriers to action. For example, some consumers may not prioritize energy efficiency because of a lack of knowledge or convenience, while others are more concerned with affordability. Community-based social marketing (CBSM) understands the importance of speaking to the interests and concerns of each individual and describing the benefits a simple change can have.

A key component of CBSM is the grassroots approach that utilizes trusted sources such as community leaders or volunteers to not only engage individuals in a conversation about the importance of making a small change, but to also provide a tool to enable action.

For example, instead of just explaining to someone how much energy and money could be saved by changing from an incandescent light bulb to a compact fluorescent light (CFL), a CBSM campaign could also provide a free CFL so that the recipient really has no excuse not to take action.

In offering both information and the means to act, a moment of reciprocity or exchange is formed. By agreeing to a small request such as changing a light bulb, the individual has set out on a path where repeated behavioral changes — such as purchasing a pack of CFL bulbs — are much more feasible.

Environmental Initiatives

Although CBSM can be used to address a variety of issues, I have focused on the environment because it is particularly effective in helping develop sustainable green behaviors. Big changes such as installing solar panels at home are often too much for the average consumer to contemplate given the cost and effort involved. It is easier and more effective to focus on the simple things people can do to make a difference.

I am speaking from experience — my organization’s energy efficiency campaign, Project Porchlight, distributes free CFLs in local communities and has been a shining example (pardon the pun) of the effectiveness of this approach. In one community, more than 90% of the residents who received a free CFL reported they had either installed the bulb or planned to. Also, there was an eight percent increase in residents who thought about using less electricity at home after receiving a CFL. It’s great to think big, but these results prove the power of small actions.

There are many hurdles to reaching consumers and encouraging them to make environmentally friendly choices, but we can succeed if the right approach is taken. Community-based social marketing relies on not only the consumption of information, but also the interaction and reciprocity between individuals. Employing this type of approach is key in breaking through the noise and making a difference in the long term.

…seasoned professional association executive to lead award-winning NGO…

The Board of Directors of one of North America’s most unique community based social marketing organizations announced today the appointment of Steve Doty, CA as the new Executive Director for One Change.

Doty spent over 16 years with the Canadian Medical Association – CMA Holdings Inc (CMAH), most recently as the Vice President & Chief Financial Officer managing a team of more than 100 professionals and staff. During his tenure, the company grew in size from 150 to 1,350 employees, boosted client assets under management from under $5 billion to more than $20 billion and launched or acquired a number of successful services and businesses including discount brokerage, discretionary asset management, insurance, estate and trust services, clinical management software and internet services for physicians.

“I’m so impressed with the innovative approach and momentum that One Change has achieved in such a short time,” Doty states. “It will be a privilege to work with so many dedicated volunteers, partners and staff to take One Change and its compelling mission to the next level,” he adds.

Stuart Hickox, President and Founder of One Change is delighted that a seasoned executive with more than 25 years experience in a variety of progressively senior leadership and financial management positions will be helping to lead the award-winning not-for-profit headquartered here in Ottawa.
“After an extensive and broad search, we’re very excited to welcome Steve Doty to the One Change team,” says Hickox. “Steve’s background is very impressive and I look forward to working closely with him to take One Change to new heights,” he adds.

Steve Doty will take on the role of Executive Director, a position that had to be filled following the sudden death of former Associate Executive — John Mulvihill last August. “John would be very proud of the strides we have made and I know he would give us two big thumbs up for naming Steve as his replacement,” Hickox states.

Folks from Ottawa South came out to celebrate the New Year by attending a soiree with the Premier of Ontario Dalton McGuinty (pictured here) on January 14, 2010 and One Change was in attendance to share free digital tire gauges and tips on fuel conservation. Dalton McGuinty’s ‘New Year’s Levée,’ held at the RA Centre on Riverside Drive, provided an opportunity for constituents to meet with Dalton and David McGuinty and to hear about what is on the Premier’s agenda for 2010. Over 100 guests attended, including The Honourable Jim Watson, MPP for Ottawa West—Nepean and candidate for the Ottawa Mayoral Election, The Honourable Madeleine Meilleur, MPP for Ottawa—Vanier, Mr. Jean-Marc Lalonde, MPP for Glengarry—Prescott— Russell.

With the theme of making a better Ontario, hot topics of the evening included the HST tax, implementation of all day kindergarten, and providing support for those in desperate need in Haiti. In keeping with the theme of the evening One Change encouraged attendees to take simple actions to conserve fuel to help combat climate change. One Change gave out nearly 100 digital tire gauges in an effort to help residents of Ottawa South reduce their fuel consumption, GHG emissions and increase vehicle safety on the road.

One Change is preparing to launch One Change: Fuel in the spring of 2010 across the province of Ontario. The campaign is a community-based social marketing effort that uses local volunteers to help their friends and neighbours learn to conserve fuel and reduce CO2 emissions. Be on the watch for One Change: Fuel rolling through your community this spring!

The Jewish Community Housing Corporation (JCHC) provides independent senior citizens with suitable living accommodations and related services, enabling them to express their Jewish affiliations through services and practices consistent with all approaches to Judaism. On December 16, JCHC’s Village Apartments in South Orange, New Jersey, held an event to help residents learn more about energy efficiency. Naturally, Project Porchlight was on hand to educate folks about the energy savings offered by compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs.

A total of 102 CFL bulbs were distributed, part of Project Porchlight New Jersey’s campaign to distribute energy-efficient light bulbs to residents across the state. Project Porchlight is an energy efficiency program run by the community based social marketing organization One Change. The campaign is made possible thanks to funding by the state Board of Public Utilities (BPU) and New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program (NJCEP).

“Project Porchlight had a great program for the seniors,” says Building Manager Cheryl Kasye. “When the residents got their CFL bulbs, first off they were happy to know they would be conserving energy and protecting the environment. Then when they got the information about where to buy them to save additional money, they were happy to know that as well.

“Project Porchlight provides a great service for people, and the residents really appreciated it,” adds Cheryl “And anything they learned from it, I think they will pass on to their families as well.”

Project Porchlight empowers people to believe that simple actions matter and to make smart choices that protect the environment. And while some older folks may be resistant to change, that was certainly not the case at the South Orange Village Apartments. “Our residents are willing to try anything that’s going to change the world for their grandkids or make a difference that will benefit their grandkids,” says Cheryl. “It’s important that all of us do what we can to protect the water, our air, and our earth. It’s important to limit pollution so our world will be cleaner.”

When it comes to protecting our environment, simple actions matter. Even something as simple as changing a light bulb is important. “After the presentation was over, a lot of the residents were chatting,” reports Cheryl. “One of them is very up on what’s going on in the world, and he told the others that CFL bulbs really do make a difference in lowering your electric bills. We have already had three or four residents go out and purchase more CFL bulbs, which is great. Everybody’s happy to save money, and if you’re saving the environment at the same time, you can’t go wrong with that.”

Stuart Hickox is set to speak in Calgary on October 1st, as One Change has been invited to present at the engage NOW conference. One of the main obstacles to broad participation in action on global warming is the word “global”. One Change’s flagship public engagement campaign, Project Porchlight, aims to convert energy conservation and climate change awareness into grassroots action. Attendees will learn basic principles of community-based social marketing, how One Change campaigns work on the ground, and will be introduced to tools and systems that One Change has used to consistently manage 10,000 volunteers across North America.

One Change is honored to speak at an event where his Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama will be the keynote speaker for NOW. engage NOW is a 2-day conference focusing on community-university partnerships designed to enhance service-learning and community-based research in the City of Calgary, the province of Alberta, and the nation as a whole. engage NOW also explores the potential and partnerships to promote student learning and community development. engage NOW is also an opportunity for Non-Profit Organizations and Educators to interact and develop mutually beneficial partnerships for volunteerism, social justice and community involvement opportunities.

Read more about the NOW conference and this exciting community-based learning event.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

The Chinese philosopher, Lao-Tzu, more than 500 years before the birth of Christ, is credited with this prophetic statement. The original Chinese script has also been translated as “The journey of a thousand miles begins beneath one’s feet,” but either way, the importance of this quotation for social change remains constant:

The beginning of any social change begins from an understanding of where we are, and requires us to make a simple, purposeful action.

“Psst!”

That is the loudest headline I’ve heard in a long time. It is also the key to the newest social marketing initiative of Onechange.org.

This campaign relies on the same principle espoused by Lao-Tzu and paraphrased by onechange.org:

simple actions matter.

The “Psst!” is a call to action. It is the forced whisper you hear in a library that EVERYONE hears. It gets your attention, even in print.

It is also the sound of air escaping from your tires. The escaping air means that tire pressure drops, and when your tires are under inflated, your fuel economy drops. This is an enormous environmental campaign to reduce fuel consumption that relies on the very simple action required of each of us: keep your tires inflated properly.

I should note that this campaign employs a very diverse marketing mix: from celebrity/politician endorsement, to news stories (and morning TV appearances), to billboards, to corporate partnership (Canadian Tire), to freebies (digital tire guages), public workshops, bus advertising, flyers, public speaking, and a host of other media that is visible to the driving public. Moreover, it is being tested in three Canadian markets before rolling out nationally. These folks are not marketing novices.

Invariably, there are stats that support the campaign:

If every Canadian driver checked and maintained proper tire pressure on a regular basis, each year we’d save over $600 million on fuel, cut 1.4 million tons of CO2, and prevent traffic accidents.

This organization also brought you Project Porchlight, where energy efficient compact fluorescent lightbulbs have been given to homeowners DOOR TO DOOR across North America with the request that the incandescent bulbs on their porchlight could be replaced. This simple action would benefit the environment and the homeowner: less energy is used, the bulbs last longer, and the cost to the homeowner was ZERO.

Of course, this notion of taking stock of a problem, and identifying a simple action that can be taken to directly address the problem is the foundation of all meaningful social movements.

Sometimes, the simple actions are dangerous and require courage, however innocuous they may seem. Take for example, the story of Kenyan Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Wangari Maathai whose simple act of planting trees because of a need for firewood grew into a movement to safeguard the environment, protect human rights, and defend democracy in Kenya.

Meaningful social change demands action, of that there is no doubt.

However, the enormous goals of societal behavior change should not be daunting. These movements often rely on very simple individual action that become infectious and affirming, and can also be in the best interests of the initiator.

I, for one, will be checking my tires.

View article as a PDF.

Social Delta
Marketing for a Better World

Social Delta will work with you to systematically improve the common good.

One Change is thrilled to announce the social marketing workshop in San Diego and the ensuing 19th National Energy Services Conference were a huge success! Many interesting contacts were made as One Change continues to pursue new developments towards simple environmental solutions. Thanks to all who came out and participated in this important and meaningful initiative.