2010 Design Essay

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Designing sustainable behaviourchange:An investigation into the design ofenvironmental messages and the role of new

media

Vanessa StewartDesign Joint Honours

K0718047FADA

HA3481: Design in Context III


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Paul MicklethwaiteWord count: 2,556

January 14, 2010

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Designing sustainable behaviour change: An investigation intothe design of environmental messages and the role of newmedia

I. Introduction

In 1985, the Coca-Cola Company took the biggest risk in thehistory of their corporate existence. After conducting tastes with200,000 consumers, they introduced a new formula for the worldsmost popular soft drink (see Figure 1). The result was a consumerbacklash unlike any the business world has ever seen. A few monthslater, the original formula was back on the shelves (The Coca-ColaCompany 2006). Stories like these are a testament to the influence theconsumer holds over the products sold in stores. The only strongervoice is the government, who continually regulate programmes tobenefit the environmental cause. In the same way, businesses areadopting sustainable practice at a steady pace, in the face ofimpending regulations and a new, more demanding and high-expectation consumer. This leaves the consumer as the last piece ofthe puzzle. To win over this consumer, a proliferation of charitablecampaigns, government programmes, eco products, and green-focused initiatives has saturated the marketing landscape within thelast decade.

Yet, despite the pervasiveness of the green message, thereseems to be a baffling, if not paradoxical absence of consistentcommitment from the public. This is often referred to as the intention-

action gap. As green marketers, we ask: what have we been missing?Furthermore, since the advent of the Internet and the social web,traditional advertising strategies are being replaced with new mediainitiatives. What role do the Internet and new media have in creating amore effective message? And in what way can the design of greenmarketing contribute to positive behaviour change?

II. Existing messaging channels

It might be said that the overall effectiveness of greenmarketing on sustainable behaviour change is somewhat

disappointing as the majority of consumers have yet to adopt thispractice. To design new marketing techniques, it is useful to criticallyanalyse that which already exists. There appears to be four mainvehicles of the green message present in the media and commercialenvironment.

a. Government educational campaignsFirst, take a look at government educational campaigns. This is a

promising avenue for the message, as the influence, funds, andcoverage available to the government are rarely topped. Take theAre

you doing your bit? campaign by the UK government that began in1998 after the Kyoto negotiations a year earlier. It was an admirable

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recognition that, regardless of what climate change targets areagreed, they can never fully be carried out without a change in theactions of businesses and individuals. Fundamentally, the messagewas good: Every little thing I do makes a difference (OECD 2000: 5).However well-intended, this approach lacks enough relevance on a

personal level. Ecoalign (2005), an energy and environmentalmarketing agency, argue that marketers pushing the green, energyefficiency, conservation and sustainability message have createdgeneric, washed-out messages that lack any real punch. Indeed, allhuman behaviour, even that which contributes to global warming, iswell-intended.

b. Big brand advertisingBig brand advertising is the second vehicle. As the expectations

of shareholders continue to rise, so does the pressure on corporationsto demonstrate their commitment to sustainability. Everywhere, bigbrands are rolling out new green marketing campaigns that areincessant and ubiquitous. Cadburys Purple Goes Green campaign (seeFigure 2) that began in 2007 is the companys initiative to reduce theirimpact on global warming. Like many other companies introducingsustainable practices, their motives are probably centred on the beliefthat painting the company in a good light will ultimately result ingreater good will and stronger brand equity. Although the importanceof such initiatives should never be devalued, a reduction in carbonemissions is not likely to convince people to buy more chocolate.

c. Charitable campaigningNot-for-profit campaigns are another driving force for the green

message. Coming from an independent organisation, these campaignshold a level of credibility that would be difficult for business andgovernment to achieve. The recent 10:10 campaign, which aims to cutten percent of emissions by 2010, is a unique take on the traditionalgreen initiative. They have teamed up with organisations around theglobe and also have a dedicated micro-site on the Guardians websiteto display their content. Unlike most charitable campaigns, this hasbeen a great attempt on a more simplistic grass roots level.Furthermore, the 10:10 campaign has enabled people to fashionably

identify themselves with the cause through the creation of theirlimited 10:10 metal tags (see Figure 3) salvaged from scrap metal. Ithas attracted many celebrities and popular brands, such as Thom York, Sara Cox, Microsoft, and Adidas. On the other hand, thecampaign falls short as it appeals to the better nature of individualsand organisations, with no real way of knowing whether theparticipants will ever follow through on their commitments. At the endof the day, making changes to reduce personal carbon emissions isjust another responsibility to worry about. Such a commitment couldeasily turn out to be a New Years resolution never carried through.

d. Subvertising

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If traditional and respectable not-for-profit campaigning is notenough to spur consumers to action, then a new form of activismknown as subvertising must surely have value. Adbusters.org is anexcellent example of this new form of media. Tackling any issue fromgenetically modified foods to media concentration, the organisation

uses creative media, spoof advertisements, and several campaigns,such as the annual Buy Nothing Day to stir up a response from thepublic. Just as the term suggests, these tactics are largely cynical andanti-establishment. Undoubtedly, this will appeal to a specific segmentof the population a segment that may not otherwise be reachedthrough conventional means. However, this approach also inherentlyexcludes the larger majority of people. And again, it employs theinformation-awareness-action method fallaciously believed to begenerally effective.

III. What can design offer?

Certainly, the above case studies offer a valuable contribution togenerating awareness, but the question remains as to why the successof conventional products has not been replicated with green ones.Viktor Papanek, in his book Design for the Real World, potentiallysummed up both our problem and solution when he said: Design isthe patterning and planning of any act toward a desired, foreseeableend. In the same way, an analysis of these methods reveals that mosthave been designed, consciously or not, to produce the results theyare receiving. In fact, most of them use the basic method of lobbying

information. Whether it comes from the government, largecorporations, charities, or subversive organisations, people are largelyuninspired by facts and distant causes.

a. Information is not the answerWendy Gordon (2002), author of Brand Green, discusses the

impact of the circle of concern versus the circle of influence. Thefirst pertains to those issues that concern us but are beyond ourpersonal control. This includes climate change, loss of naturalresources, and other sustainability issues. The second circle pertainsto our immediate environment, that which is within our power to

influence. This includes litter, graffiti, local education, and the healthof our families (Gordon 2002: 24). Put like this, it is easy to see whypeople often feel environmental calls-to-action are ultimatelyprofitless.

The UK governments Act On CO2 (actonco2.direct.gov.uk)campaign is a good example (see Figure 5). The landing page of thewebsite has self-explanatory and leading navigation that negates theneed to dig deeper into the site: the first button is Climate change:the facts followed by What you can do, then What government isdoing, What business is doing, Current campaigns, and finally

About ACT ON CO2. Before clicking anywhere into the site, it is clearthat the principal strategy is information-awareness-action.

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b. Personal and relevant messagingYet, surely if marketers can convince us to spend 500 on a

designer handbag, there must be a way to influence consumers to buygreen. Gordon (2002) suggests that mass marketing tactics are the

best and possibly only way to send green products mainstream. Shesays: We need to learn how to connect green brands to the lives ofordinary people (Gordon 2002: 9). Take, for example, Texas AustinEnergy. In 2006, demand for their wind energy programme GreenChoice outpaced supply. This was not the result of positioning thepremium-priced package as the admirable right thing to do for theenvironment. Instead, it was the result of tying benefits into thepackage that appealed to the lifestyles of their consumers, such aspublic recognition in broadcast media and branding the programme ashome grown thus appealing to the characteristic pride and loyaltyof Texans (Ottman, et al 2006: 30). This is perfectly in line with thebelief of Renzo Rosso, founder of the globally successful fashion andlifestyle brand Diesel. He states: Consumers need more subtlemotivations than ever to buy a certain brand. They have to identifythemselves with the product they are buying, with its lifestyle, itsattitude (Pavit 2001: 64).

c. Points of paritySending green products mainstream is not only achieved

through relating products to individual identity. Any kind of massmarketing must include what is known as points of parity. These are

the shared values between the target brand and its competitiors(Kellar 2006: 5). If green brands wish to compete with conventionalones, they must compete on these points. The US company MethodProducts Inc. (www.methodproducts.com), which has just entered theUK market, has achieved mass-market success in the relatively shortspace of nine years (see Figure 6). This was attributed to placing theirhousehold care products at a price level comparable to higher-endconventional brands. For consumers, selecting the product withenvironmental credibility is an easy decision when the price points arethe same.

d. Product qualityA further requirement of green mainstreaming is product

quality. Simply put, if the quality of a product fails to be as good as orbetter than conventional alternatives, people will not buy it. Forexample, although organic milk may cost twice as much, increase insales has been exponential in recent years. This is largely due to thegrowing negative publicity surrounding hormone-raised cows.Moreover, a growing number of people purchase organic milk simplybecause they claim it tastes better (Global Shades of Green 2008).Even the mere belief that organic milk is better has returned positive

results for purveyors of the product.

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IV. The role of new media and communications

Yet, no matter how cleverly crafted the message, or how well agreen product meets the points of parity, the marketing landscape israpidly changing. With the advent of the Internet and new media has

come an opportunity to influence a more dramatic change inconsumer behaviour than ever before. Unlike in the 1950s when aplacid, smiling blonde was enough to sell a bottle of Coke, theconsumer of the 21st century is increasingly skeptical and discerning.Consumers have grown wary of commercial messages, turning to thecollective wisdom and experience of their friends and peers to learnabout products (Ottman, et al 2006: 33).

a. Leverage the influencersThis is why social networks and blogging are exceptional tools

for corporate leverage. Where individuals share ideas, connect aroundcommon interests, and spread their opinion of products, brands, andcorporations, it is possible to spread a corporate agenda. Seth Godin(2002), author ofUnleashing the Ideavirus, says: We live in a worldwhere consumers actively resist marketing. So its imperative to stopmarketing at people. The idea is to create an environment whereconsumers will market to each other. The social web creates thisenvironment: one where good products will naturally rise to theforefront, and where unsatisfactory companies will suffer greatly.Brand advocates present a distinct opportunity for companies to winthe hearts of their target consumers. For example, when a blogger

forges a strong identity and authority over a subject area, followersoften become devout believers and subscribe to the blogs content.When a lifestyle or product is advocated, a perfectly suited audience isreading about it and converting in near real-time.

b. Segment the audience The ability to tailor a message to a particular audience is

another invaluable tool the social web offers. The endless amount ofmedia available to consumers today such as the variety ofmagazines has caused information overload. As a result, traditionaladvertisers are dealing with an irresolvable problem. No longer can

they reach a mass audience with any single communication. This isone reason why the Super Bowl is able to charge what they do for a 15second ad. On the social web, users convene around shared interests,enabling organisations to communicate to an audience that is alreadyinterested in their products. David Meerman Scott, author ofThe NewRules of Marketing and PR, says to create micro-sites, each aimed ata narrow target constituency. By implementing the right keywords,users are reaching purpose-built landing pages replete with thecontent they seek and the products that meet their needs.

c. Market with permissionNot only can a specific audience be targeted, but they can also

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be courted into offering their permission to build a relationship withthem. Godin (1999) defines advertising as the science of creating andplacing media that interrupts the consumer and then gets him or herto take some action. In fact, every day, the average person isexposed to over four hours of media (Godin 1999: 25-26). So how do

marketers break through all of the clutter and noise? Permissionmarketing is a new concept of offering the consumer value beforedemanding anything in return. Over time, using the attention offeredby the consumer and continually providing incentives, the marketercan execute a curriculum, teaching the consumer about the productsor services they offer. The Concrete Network(www.concretenetwork.com), for example, created a series of buyerguides because they knew it would be useful to their market (Scott2007: 22). In the long run, actions like these build the credibility andauthenticity of a company by providing value beyond commercialexchange. However, permission marketing is a slow process andrequires genuine commitment and transparency from the givencompany. Thus, it necessitates that the products or services be ofquality and live up to expectations. For this reason, permissionmarketing is perfectly suited for green companies seeking to reachthe right individuals.

V. Conclusion

In the face of our green paradox, it is important to recognisethat the issue of sustainability requires mass-scale participation.

Consequently, there could never exist one remedy to influencewidespread behaviour change. A combination of approaches will benecessary on a continual basis. Re-designing the message ofenvironmental product marketing is certainly a step in the rightdirection. Furthermore, as we move into a society where information isdirected at us in excess, marketers need to reduce their noise andcreate purposeful, unique messages. Even so, green brands will stillbe unable to compete unless they are made available at an affordableprice, with comparable quality to conventional brands. Once marketersbegin to acknowledge this, new media provides an opportunity toreach the right people; those who have consented to engage with the

company; and those who are keen to receive relevant products thatwill reward and satisfy. This is the only sustainable strategy.

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2010 Design Essay