EEDA
Project
Cut Your Carbon
Brief
The East of England Development Agency (EEDA) commissioned the Cut your Carbon campaign to encourage local communities to cut their carbon emissions in response to climate change.
The brief was to develop and run a compelling campaign that would motivate and enable communities to seek EEDA funding and take local action to reduce carbon emissions.
Solution
Working with Smith design agency, we developed a strong campaign identity with stand out quality around a theme of ‘Be a carbon hero’. Following a bold angle we produced lycra suits with pants on the outside for a team of unlikely looking carbon superheroes. Not your usual public sector fare but it helped stir up a wave of web traffic, enquiries and community action.
Extensive media relations, online promotion, guerrilla marketing, events and a big conference helped EEDA secure over 100 participating communities in just a few months. In addition, a suite of resources were developed to help communities, including a significant web presence at www.cutyourcarbon.org.uk
Outcome
The Cut your Carbon campaign won Gold for best Integrated Campaign and Gold for best website in the East of England in the 2009 Chartered Institute of PR awards. Over an 18 month period the website received 150,000 visits and in the six months from launch over 100 pieces of media coverage were achieved.
The programme funded community projects to a total of £2 million and the online community carbon footprinting system we developed with Solstice Associates was adopted by the Energy Saving Trust and NESTA as their national software platform for community action.
