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Campaigns To Learn From
Asked to recall previous campaigns that have profoundly affected them, our respondents provided us with campaigns that have managed to remain with them for many years. The most commonly mentioned are as follows:
The Drink Driving Campaigns
Having become increasingly more harrowing over the years, these have become something of an institution, new approaches to the campaign being something of a media event, stimulating public debate and maintaining high awareness levels.
Seatbelts
Although now defunct the original message (a Jimmy Saville catchphrase of 'Clunk Click every trip') is highly memorable, especially with the older audience
Learning From Past Successes
Whilst none of these campaigns was connected to the issues under investigation here, it is interesting to look at what we can learn from them. Obviously their messages are completely different from our concerns here, but all three are aimed at raising social awareness in one form or another, and there are clearly important advantages that all three possess to have succeeded in such longevity in terms of recall.
The most obvious of these is the use of media: both have made widespread use of all forms of media, from TV through radio to magazines. When these campaigns were being aired, the vast majority of the country received the message in some way. At the risk of pointing out the obvious, it is essential that media coverage is as ubiquitous as possible.
All three campaigns were all very thought provoking - they talked about possible actions and consequences and how these might be prevented. In doing so they also often challenged beliefs or misconceptions, making drivers think about whether they really are alright after they've had a couple of pints, pointing out the simplicity of preventative measures to ensure safety. These attacks on an almost hard-wired complacency are vital in terms of grabbing the audience and demanding that they listen.
In carrying out these tacit assaults on everyday behaviour, they also focussed on individual actions and highlighted the personal side of the issue. The fact that this was a message about a commonplace activity became all the more relevant when one's personal responsibility was shown. Interestingly they managed to avoid blame whilst doing so - there was no finger-pointing or allocation of guilt. Indeed the tone was far less emotive, pointing out what should be done as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
As for the messages that were conveyed by these campaigns, they were ultimately very simple indeed. Instead of opting for a scattershot approach tackling surrounding issues, the nub of the issue was brought to the fore. Thus we were told not to drink and drive, and that we had to wear our seatbelts. Despite being so focussed, they were still utterly comprehensive - there was no question about what they were trying to tell the audience, and the scale of the issue was never vague.
However, possibly the most important factors that these have in common are the fact that they were backed by Government legislation and that the actions described in the campaigns are now completely normalised.
It is easy to understand why legislation has helped such campaigns - laws are in place to prevent drink driving and to enforce seatbelt use. Whilst this does not mean that any campaign without legislation is as good as dead to start with (clearly incorrect - laws are simply an effective means of directly affecting public behaviour; there are certainly no laws enforcing the consumption of Coca-Cola), it should be kept in mind that legislation is definitely something that should be aimed for. This is something of great importance when it is considered that perceived government inaction is a catalyst for contagious apathy.
Normalisation is bound to be the ultimate aim of any waste-related campaign - the utopian vision is of a society that uses its resources as efficiently as is possible, reusing, composting and recycling every single item so that there is no waste. Setting sights on a slightly more achievable first step, however, if the separation of household rubbish were as natural to the population as putting on a seatbelt is now we would be well on our way. British society has hit the point where defying these campaigns is practically taboo: seatbelt use is instinctive, those attempting to drink drive are often vigorously dissuaded.
Of course, cynics might argue that whilst the campaigns under consideration here are essential for public safety, no-one is going to come to a sudden, violent end for failing to deposit a bottle in the appropriate receptacle. No-one can argue that the safety side of such campaigns does have a great effect on behaviour. However the aspects of waste awareness that have been so far mentioned have the potential to similarly prove highly motivating, especially the inclusion of messages detailing the personally beneficial and negative possibilities of action and inaction respectively. If similar reactions are to be hoped for with regards to waste awareness, then there is a definite need for the promotion of a simple, single action that can become the first step. Recycling would appear to be the obvious choice as it is already understood and can be incorporated into an everyday lifestyle fairly smoothly.
Creating A Campaign
With all that had gone before in mind, including the cultural, linguistic and advertising-oriented findings, 21 mock advertisements (or executional concepts as they are known in advertising jargon) were created based on 9 themes (or propositions) identified from the research.
Each theme was identified as a 'handle' for understanding the waste awareness message and for taking action as a result. These themes ranged from the trade-off between environmental costs and immediate convenience, through such areas as waste bringing unpleasantness to one's doorstep to the positive notions that if we all pull together then the situation can be resolved and that one individual's contribution really does make a difference.
From these themes were spawned 21 executional concepts, covering a range of imagery, wording, messages and tones. It was the job of these concepts to ensure that all of the themes were presented as fully and comprehensively as possible, ideally from a number of different perspectives. However, it was also important to explore the full range of tone and imagery, to allow the research to gauge levels of acceptance and rejection - in essence to act as some sort of yardstick. Thus certain concepts used involved devices judged to be extreme in terms of shock value, language use or interest potential.
Creating A Successful Advertisement
Research discussion of previous campaigns and advertisements brought to light a series of elements that are essential for the favourable reception of an advert. Used as a guideline throughout the creation of the mock advertisements these features are as follows:
Imagery
We live in a visual world - to many individuals whether they know it or not, image is everything. Daily we are treated to a constant bombardment of flashy visuals designed for instant appeal, be they brand logos or MTV videos. The basic rule of thumb is that any imagery used has to strike a chord immediately.
This might be regarded as a severe case of stating the obvious, but in no way can visual impact be over-emphasised. The respondents who were presented with the executional concepts were explained to many times that the mock adverts they were seeing were under no circumstances the finished article, and as such the visual side should not be concentrated on too much. Despite this request, imagery was almost invariably a much-discussed subject.
Interestingly this does not simply imply that visuals must be exciting, bright and colourful (though these are all useful devices). On the contrary, it is felt that this subject in particular is able to use dark, almost bleak imagery to drive the message home.
Language
Language has already been discussed in some detail in this report. The basic message is that any audience has to be communicated with in its own language. It should be remembered, though, that this is not purely confined to 'technical' terms such as 'waste' or 'landfill' - the language used in any campaign has to be appropriate throughout. It is of especial importance when targeting specific age-groups.
The use of current discourse is thus essential, but care must be taken to avoid using it unthinkingly. It would be far more damaging to a campaign to attempt the vernacular without understanding how it is used, than to make no attempt at all. It is likely to be regarded as patronising and would lose the campaign credibility, especially when aiming for a younger audience, who are a marketing-savvy and highly critical group. Exposed to advertising practically from birth, they are able to dissect and interpret a campaign very swiftly and with little mercy.
Any advertising seen to be desperately trying to talk to 'the kids' is liable to be dismissed as 'sad' immediately. It would be the verbal equivalent of a father turning up to his kid's party and strutting his stuff on the dance floor!
Message
The key to the conveyance of a message is in its simplicity and its focus - above all else it is essential that the message does not get lost en route. It should also be as positive and empowering a message as possible - it must provide hope and a reason for caring about the message in the first place.
To this end, the provision of a practical solution is an exceedingly effective means of communication, especially if those in authority need to take as much notice of it as the general public. Added to this is the need for urgency - the message must be that immediate action is essential. However, care must be taken with this demand - it must not be seen as so urgent that it is practically a lost cause. Instead there must be the impression that the situation is resolvable as long as action is taken swiftly.
Empathy
Obviously no campaign can communicate if it has no understanding of its audience. Whilst this entire document is concerned with allowing insight into the public attitudes towards this issue it is worth bearing in mind the following as being essential factors:
Interest - Any assumption of prior interest will ultimately lead to an ineffectual campaign currently. Until we have a normalised state of waste awareness, the audience must be treated as a blank slate (without seeming patronising).
Responsibility - Any implication that individuals have a greater responsibility than business or government can be extremely damaging to a campaign's reception
Selective Sight - The most tangible problems are those that provoke the greatest reaction, thus those most local and visible are those that should be concentrated on initially. Less tangible areas, such as landfill, should be connected to the 'known world' as strongly as possible.
Contagious Apathy - The social acceptance of inaction is fuelled to a large extent by a feeling of powerlessness. This needs to be attacked without invoking feelings of blame and guilt, but rather through empowerment and choice.
Reactions To The Creative Work
As is to be expected, the executional concepts were treated to the complete spectrum of possible reactions, from unfettered enthusiasm through indifference to absolute hatred and even offence. In many ways, it is the indifference that is the most concerning reaction - an advertisement that provokes nothing but apathy is hardly going to be the most effective means of communication. Of course, dislike is also something that has to be avoided as people will not act if they have no respect for the message, but through exploration of this reaction we are able to learn how to avoid alienation and apathy.
Popular Concepts
Those concepts best received seemed startlingly different on the face of it. Amongst the most popular were very challenging uses of language and imagery side by side with safe, emotive tones as well as more practical and humorous executions. All of these qualities give rise to interesting questions with regard to the extent to which each can be taken - at what point does challenging become offensive, at what point does emotive become trite?
Bleakness in both imagery and language actually turned out to be immensely popular to an audience that is frequently at the mercy of a plethora of high shock-value campaigns (such as recent anti-smoking attempts featuring people dying of lung cancer). It is often the case with such campaigns that a large section of the audience simply switches off, as they know the message and they feel they will either consider it or not irrespective of the advertising. There is also the question of overkill: a certain numbness has set in through over-exposure to a plethora of gritty images and hard-hitting stories. However it is felt that the seriousness of this issue is not understood yet and as such it needs to be pointed out as overtly and starkly as possible, ideally without too much emotional grandstanding. It is felt that images of landfill are serious enough without needing much in the way of explanation.
Imagery and language can be challenging in other respects. Instead of shocking the audience with bleakness, the unexpected and hitherto unseen is also very engaging and memorable. As is shown in the following section, the use of language that one would not expect to be seen in mainstream advertising is highly effective.
Whilst it is clearly important to point out the gravity of the waste issue, and there is a certain degree of acceptance of severe, harsh imagery, it is important to remember that this must be presented with the utmost respect for the public idea of responsibility. Under no circumstances should any blame be apportioned to the individual - in fact popular executions include those that acknowledge the need for local governments to take action, indicating an appreciation of blaming those in power.
There is a danger that using such a grim tone can result in a feeling of hopelessness. Care must be taken to ensure that it doesn't feel as though the battle is lost before it has even been started. With a public so predisposed to apathy it is apparent that any message detailing a harsh reality must also provide answers, a means of overcoming the situation it is detailing. It is no good simply showing the audience what the problem is: as we have already seen many people would have absolutely no idea how they could even vaguely tackle the build up of waste to landfill. Presenting a step-by-step means of tackling the issues is the most positive way forward.
And this positivity is something that pervades much of the selection of most popular concepts. Using the positive aspects of what can be achieved through waste awareness and attempting to reduce one's own rubbish acts as a point of compassion and empathy. It provides a reason for desiring action, a tangible purpose for putting effort into thinking about this ostensibly uninteresting subject.
Contrasting sharply with the stark overtones of some of the concepts are those that use humour to get the message across. Again the style of humour varies between the designs, but it is interesting to see it not only working well in terms of reception, but also managing to get the message across to the audience efficiently. Far from losing the message in an attempt to be humorous, it draws attention to what needs to be said. However, caution must always be adopted with such a route - failed humour is often regarded as unforgivable and can swiftly diminish campaign credibility.
Examples Of Successful Concepts
In the following section, a series of case studies is presented: a look at a few representative examples of the concepts that proved to be the most popular in research, and an insight into what contributed to their appeal.
1. 'Give a toss'
This concept is surprisingly popular, especially with the younger audience whose language it is clearly using. The most striking aspect of this particular concept is the headline: 'Give a toss'. Using common youth parlance and inverting a popular phrase it manages to be contemporary and funny whilst at the same time cleverly getting the meaning across through the multiple meanings of the word 'toss'.
Although the origins of the phrase border on the crude, it is felt that this is how people speak these days, and it is as acceptable as much of the common vernacular. Younger audiences find it humorous and engaging and even older audiences recognise that this is directly communicating to the younger generations. Offence is very rarely taken, if at all. Indeed, there is a common perception that other people will find it offensive, yet hardly any of this semi-fictional group of potentially upset individuals were discovered! It seems likely that the shock of seeing such language used in an advertising campaign leads to the assumption that people will be offended rather than the actual event occurring. A similar pattern was noted with another execution that stated boldly 'It's time to cut the crap!'
The imagery, too, is praised - it is felt that it is leading by example. Although not overtly stated, it is clear to the majority that a can is being deposited in a recycling bin. Possibly this should be made more obvious to avoid ambiguity, but on the whole it works very well. As a whole, the advert is somewhat reminiscent of a Benetton campaign, especially with the green text box: on the one hand this would fit into its faintly shocking appeal, on the other it might detract from the message.
And the message is of course the most important aspect to the concept. Here it is simply issued as a positive command without using any emotional blackmail or fudging the issue. It backs up the command with a simple fact: that 80% of waste is recyclable. Despite the use of the word 'waste' here, this is an effective and motivating thought with the ability to surprise the audience.
Overall then, this succeeds because it talks to people on their own terms, especially the younger audience. It is unpretentious, eye-catching and ultimately memorable.
2. 'The Cost Of Convenience Foods…'
This is clearly a far more gritty use of imagery and tone, allowing consumers to interpret for themselves exactly how they have contributed to the sea of rubbish before them. Thought-provoking and highly emotive, this is truly powerful imagery that manages to strike a chord with a great many people. It is unusual to see such unpleasant material in an advertising campaign, contrasting with the sanitised sterility and clean-cut models of the average billboard advertisement.
For some it forms some sort of a hideous parallel with the Marlboro campaigns, and it seems quite easy for a parody to be imagined: 'Welcome to Convenience Country' emblazoned across the endless oceans of waste. It manages to strike a chord of shock and revulsion with the audience, largely due to the fact that they feel they have created it in some way. It could possibly be even more powerful were some recognisably familiar objects to be discernible in the foreground, a microwave curry tray or a can of beans lodged in the refuse. Not only would this provide a more personal connection with the imagery, but it might also act as some sort of a recall cue when consumers visit supermarkets and see the same items on display.
Although it is highly unlikely that anyone has seen quite such a vast stretch of landfill, it is still recognisable to everyone who has ever gone to their local dump. They can extrapolate from their own experience and start to get an idea of the magnitude of the situation.
The key to the success of this concept, however, is in the way it attempts a head-on tackle against the desire for convenience that seems to be such a driving force in today's society. It challenges the basic assumption that convenience and disposability are universally beneficial and questions the true value of such items as convenience foods. Essentially it asks the audience: is this really worth the time-saving benefits?
Of course, to its detriment, there is no motivating phrase. Nothing explains to the audience how they can change things, how they can channel their shock into some sort of positive action. However, as an initial step it is highly effective, and with the addition of some plan for individual action it could prove to be very valuable.
3. 'Digging a hole…'
This execution takes the bleakness and grittiness to a slightly more removed domain, filled with far more sombre overtones. Perhaps it is unexpected that this should fare so well, seeing as death would usually be an advertising taboo, yet the imagery and the message together seem to be highly attention-grabbing. If anything it is probably a little too harsh, as it might seem to some as though there's no point even trying. However, with the headline posed in the form of a question there is room for doubt and implied room for change and improvement. What is really needed to make this truly effective is a positive message, a method for the average consumer to understand how they can prevent their rubbish being simply burned or buried.
Despite certain problems with some aspects of the concept, this is regarded as being highly effective and undoubtedly memorable. With death and gravestones rarely, if ever, seen on everyday advertisements it catches the attention and is liable to stay with an individual for some time, possibly a contender for becoming a talking-point campaign.
The use of the word 'we' is very inclusive and immediately brings to light the essential fact that everyone has a part in this, no matter who they are or what they do. Whilst managing to avoid blaming us it tells us that all of our actions are putting the environment in considerable danger.
Where it is highly successful is in the way it manages to unequivocally solidify the hitherto intangible elements of waste awareness. The concerns and fears for the future become concrete as the concept of burying and burning our waste becomes analogous to the disposal of the dead. Some respondents suggested it might prove to be even more powerful if the graveyard were part of a landfill site, connecting the two concepts even more closely.
From previous learnings, we know that the term 'landfill' should not be used. Without it, this would be far more of an education as to what currently goes on in the waste industry and how household rubbish is disposed of.
Despite its shortcomings, though, this execution works, largely due to the fact that it brings together a brief explanation of the process and fears for the future if no action is taken at all.
4. 'Britain is beautiful…'
This is a very simplistic, straightforward approach to the issue, employing safe, emotional imagery and ideals to get the message across. In comparison to the previous concepts it is quite surprising in terms of the childlike lack of complication and the brightness of the visuals.
Overall it has a warm yet poignant feel - the contrast between the mountains of rubbish encroaching on the lush, pastoral scene of green meadows and trickling streams is an obviously emotional one that can cause instinctive reactions. Although there is a background concern invoked, the negative side is not accentuated too strongly at all, making this an interestingly positive execution.
The message itself is intelligent and emotional, whilst at the same time avoiding being too challenging or fearful. The 'Britain is beautiful' line can stir up a certain amount of national pride, especially in the older audience who are slightly more prone to jingoistic messages as well as having a greater appreciation of natural beauty. Younger audiences were more liable to dismiss this statement, claiming that 'Britain isn't beautiful - it's rubbish!'.
The use of the double meaning in 'Don't throw it all away' is regarded as clever and intelligently conveyed by some, yet is missed by many as well. It seems that what is required in addition is a rather more blatant strapline that allows insight into what the overall message is. This should ensure that the message enters the audience consciousness.
This is definitely not an execution that would succeed in every location. Whilst those in rural areas, or even in cities renowned for their proximity to regions of great natural beauty (such as Glasgow or Leeds) accept and are moved by the images of a threat to the verdancy of their nearby environment, urban locations treat it less well. To those in the inner cities, the countryside is simply ever present, it is assumed that it is there constantly and very few will visit it with regularity. To this group, it is not irrelevant that there could be a threat to a countryside, but they view it as such a large concept (it being simply 'the countryside' - a generic non-city location) that it cannot be imagined as being truly in danger.
Essentially, this empathises strongly with an older, more rural individual and, with the correct accompanying message promoting action, it could prove to be very successful.
Unpopular Concepts
The concepts that did not capture the imagination or inspire our respondents are an equally mixed bag, there being a number of reasons why an execution might not go down well with consumers. Their lack of success is frequently down to an inability to present a coherent message to the audience, be it through confusion or through failing to appeal to the audience using the key elements mentioned previously.
Another failing has also been warned against already - a presumptuous approach, whereby it is assumed that there is prior interest in the subject, is very unlikely to succeed for the very simple reason that this assumption is inaccurate. Even the slightest preconception that the audience is even vaguely already converted can lead to a loss of interest. It has to be remembered that the starting point for the vast majority of the population is zero knowledge about the subject.
It also needs to be remembered that this issue is not currently a high-priority concern. As it stands, there are many more important issues that need one's attention before waste disposal is arrived at - trains, floods, car pollution, Middle Eastern conflict, birthdays, etc. Thinking about the contents of one's rubbish bin is pretty far down the list, probably some way after tonight's TV listings. Thus the messages in any campaign have to be utterly direct and focussed, as any irrelevancies may be swiftly picked upon and considered at length. Hopefully, as awareness grows and it becomes more of a priority this will become less of an issue, but for now it is essential to remember this.
The prospect of blame is clearly something that has to be avoided at all costs, and some of the executions fall foul of this because of the incredible sensitivity that is displayed in this area. It is easy for the audience to feel as though they are being blamed when this was never the intention. Similarly, if an execution seems too trite then it is felt to be patronising and is met with an unflattering response.
A number of the executions fail simply because they don't succeed in all areas - perhaps they only have an interesting picture to their credit, or maybe the message is strong but it is not backed up by anything else of worth. It has to be remembered that it is always important to communicate with the audience using every aspect of the medium available to the campaign's advantage.
Examples Of Unsuccessful Concepts
Again, there now follows a series of individual concepts that were not embraced by the respondents in research groups.
1. 'Landfull'
In some ways it is a real shame that this one doesn't work well, as it is an interesting and thought provoking execution for the 'dark greens'. This group appreciates the ominous way that the landfill sign has been changed, indicating the increasingly likely problems that the waste industry will be facing in the future.
However, the majority of consumers are not fully aware of what Landfill actually is, and although they can hazard educated guesses, there is too much assumption that the audience knows what is being considered here. Those who do understand it are fairly enthusiastic, liking the urban realism of the graffiti-ed sign. Unfortunately it seems too vague for most.
This vagueness is carried on to the message itself - it tends to be met with a 'so what?' response. It leaves the audience up in the air to a certain extent, asking themselves what they should be learning from it. The strapline, 'Re-use, Re-cycle, Re-think' is very popular, but without being backed up by an understandable motivation for doing so.
Thus this is a concept that might have had more success in a future reality where the general populous are more waste-savvy. As it is, it remains scuppered by inaccessibility.
2. 'Is he recycling more than you?'
On the face of it, this is actually a very popular concept, with many of our respondents suggesting it as standing out from the rest of those on offer. However, this is an example of how qualitative research is able to explore more than the superficial likes and dislikes of consumers, because ultimately this falls under the category of mixed messages.
Several such mixed message concepts came under scrutiny, all of them very powerful and striking initially but ultimately hampered by the consumer tendency to concentrate on inappropriate themes as a direct result of seeing them. As can be seen with this example, the overall idea is highly thought provoking and emotive: this man is clearly sleeping rough, yet he is managing to do far more in terms of reuse than I ever do, and I am lucky enough to have a roof over my head…
However, this can quickly lead to other considerations too. This concept links fluidly into thought and discussion on the plight of the homeless, and the keen sentiment that is associated with those forced to use cardboard boxes for shelter. Some who consider the slogan, 'Binning everything is a terrible waste!', sometimes identify a double meaning: society has a habit of 'binning' people, another shameful aspect of our culture which can detract from the message attempting to be conveyed.
Without denying the homeless issue any of its deserved respect or gravity, homelessness is not the issue at hand and has nothing to do with the reduction of waste to disposal at all.
The emotive questioning and imagery bring about the inevitable comparisons to Benetton campaigns. Yet a brand like that can afford to divert attention to another cause, as it ends up associating itself with that and other similar issues. Ultimately the waste issue is competing with that of homelessness for the attention of the public, and cannot risk such diversion.
The lesson to take from this is that waste awareness can never be assumed to exist in isolation from other current affairs and concerns, and care must be taken to make sure there is nothing to detract from the campaign message.
3. 'Lose an inch…'
There is little here to be enjoyed by the audience. A bin remains resolutely unsexy and drab, no matter what the headline, and consumers would rarely give this a second glance. Whilst there is probably some humour potential in the waste/waist juxtaposition, any positive effects are lost by the domination of the execution by a big black bin.
It is such a major feature of the whole concept that the pun is frequently lost, leaving the audience confused as to what it is trying to tell them. Should they be getting smaller bins, should they be eating less? For those who do get the pun it is felt to be a failed attempt at humour - often the kiss of death in itself.
4. 'If they can…'
If the previous attempt was met with confusion and a rather nonplussed audience, this was met with, at the extreme ends of the scale, anger. Probably the least popular of all the executional concepts, this was originally intended to explain that much of industry is already fully engaged in a recycling programme, and that it is now about time that the public got involved as well.
Despite this being based on a series of official statistics, it is clear that the time is most definitely not right for praise for industry efforts to recycle. It seems unlikely that it would be appreciated if big business was shown to be doing even more than its fair share - in the current climate large corporations are felt to be guilty of much of society's ills and are expected to be doing everything conceivable just to make amends. The most common reaction to this is a complete lack of surprise that businesses are recycling three times as much as us, coupled with outrage that anyone has had the audacity to compare the average householder with a 'fat cat' business.
Additionally, respondents are sceptical (or realistic depending on one's opinion) as to the motivations for any business' recycling activity. A popular assumption is that they have been forced to do so, as no corporate concern is likely to be spending money on carrying out any socially aware deed unless they have to.
Turning to specifics, a car being scrapped is viewed as having nothing to do with recycling and is irrelevant to the cause at hand. However, the blatant assumption that the infrastructure is present for us to be carrying out all our recycling needs is effectively an insult: it must always be remembered that consumers approach the issue of recycling from the point of view that they would like to carry it out if it were made available for them. The imagery of an old man popping down to the bottle bank is seen as both inadvertently referring to their problems ("well, of course a retired bloke would have time to trot all the way down to the bottle bank") and patronising ("we know what we're supposed to do, its doing it that is the problem") Both of the images are dismissed as being uninteresting irrespective of the above sentiments.
This comes dangerously close to condemning public (in)activity and as such is treated with the utmost contempt.
Using Messages And Facts
The inclusion of informative, motivating messages and facts can be key in putting a campaign into the context of the real world. It is all very well for a campaign to use stunning visuals and to have a message that manages to encapsulate everything there is to say about the issue, but it seems a little unlikely that this is going to be achieved whilst remaining rooted in the reality of the situation. To facilitate the transition from a message simply being comprised of words and pictures to being of complete relevance to the audience at large in today's world, there is a definite need for hard facts.
There are several guidelines that need to be followed in order to use such facts successfully, as it is not enough to just fire out a few statistics and hope that this will somehow have an effect. To enable these facts to be digested fully, and to ensure that they are sufficiently motivating, the following considerations have to be taken into account. It should be remembered that many of the statistics used in the below examples are fictional.
Use Of Analogies
Quantities are certainly best received when they are presented in terms of a recognisable visual analogy, as opposed to baldly stating the facts as they might be documented. Consider the following statement:
'Over the last 5 years the cost of waste disposal in this town has increased by over £50 million'
Whilst this may well be the actual cost of waste disposal, it means very little to the average consumer. Most people have very little conception of what that sort of money means in real terms, to the majority of non-millionaires a million pounds is 'lots', and anything upwards is simply a vague extension: 'lots more'. It is an incomprehensible, and thus effectively meaningless, amount of money, and although those who read the above line will be made very much aware that waste disposal is expensive, they have not got a grasp of the true expense. It is much the same for other amounts, be they measurements of weight or size: everyone knows that a tonne is very heavy, but how much is a million tonnes? Very, very heavy?
The use of equivalents and analogies is far more effective, as it gives the audience a point of comparison. Instead of confusing the issue with figures, they have something they understand to use as a mental yardstick. Thus the following will be far more effective:
'Your town produces enough waste to fill Wembley stadium'
This is instantly recognisable as a very large area indeed, irrespective of individual knowledge about stadium capacity, and initiates the required shock reaction.
Ensuring The Issue is Understood
No matter how hard-hitting a fact may be to those of us who are aware of and study waste issues, it may not be something that is easily recognised by all consumers.
Take the following statement for instance:
'Landfill tax will cost your County Council £3 million on domestic waste next year'
Assuming that the term 'landfill' is universally understood for a moment, we are still faced with the prospect of the general population getting to grips with a tax that many never even knew existed. Because such an issue is regarded as irrelevant to everyday proceedings and is often not understood, this is not remotely motivating.
The most effective statements are very clear, concise and simple, assuming absolutely no knowledge on the part of the reader:
'1/3rd of your waste is recyclable paper; 1/3rd is compostable'
The majority of the audience understand this and are instantly encouraged to consider their own waste production, instead of considering some aspect of local authority bureaucracy. The most easily understandable aspect of the whole area is that which affects the average household: the rubbish bin. It is tangible, simple and accessible.
Avoiding Blame
Rapidly becoming a mantra in this report, the culture of deferred responsibility rears its ubiquitous head once again. As important here as anywhere else, statements such as the following need to be avoided due to the hypersensitivity of individuals to being labelled as the guilty party:
'Waste disposal in your area costs as much as 5 new primary schools each year'
Instead of being motivating, individuals feel that they are somehow being blamed for the lack of funding, and they are not happy about this implication. After all, they don't perceive there to be much choice available when it comes to disposal of waste. A classic argument against this would claim that if the council offered kerbside collection of recyclable materials, then of course they would co-operate.
A different tactic is needed if a head in the sand reaction is to be avoided.
Using Surprise
To the majority of consumers the fact that
'80% of your waste is recyclable'
is a surprise. If it is complete news to them that such a large proportion of their rubbish can be recycled, then there are clearly going to be many more equally amazing facts with which they can be presented. Such simple nuggets of information are attention-grabbing and memorable, and leaving them simple and wide open as above encourages a little thought as to exactly what can be recycled. Again this leads to consideration of personal activity which can only be a positive thing as this is surely the ultimate aim of any waste-related campaign.
Emphasising The Positive
Instead of focussing on the negative aspects of what happens if waste disposal isn't curbed, it is far more appealing to discuss the results that can be achieved through an increased awareness of waste matters. Instead of making people unhappy and fearful whenever the issue is raised (which could lead to an ostrich-like reaction) it might be more useful to provide goals to aim for and add a beneficial feel to the scheme:
'Increased recycling will lead to lower taxes'