Messaging for Climate Action
Creating an Effective Message Strategy
The latest climate research shows that many people care about the issue of climate change and are willing to take action – especially the ‘going greens’ target audience of the IMCOOL campaign. However, some messages resonate much more strongly than others – and some can have the opposite effect! Devoting time and energy into crafting a message strategy that is tailored to your audience’s needs and motivations will help your climate action campaign be more effective.
Think about what your audience needs to know and how they might be able to change their actions in simple ways that will help impact climate change. Try to understand what motivates them (trend-setter, idealist, localist, etc.). The more closely you tie your message to a message that resonates with your target audience, the more likely you are to achieve your desired outcome. Be clear about what you want your audience to do and do your best to provide the tools to do it.
Creators of the IMCOOL toolkit reviewed the latest research and developed several messages that are included in the template creative materials. In developing our messaging, we found that the following principles resonated with the target audience of “Going Greens”:
- Make it Local – Often, people think of climate change as something that will not impact their own community, something “out there” that can be put on the back burner when other pressing issues arise (e.g., an economic downturn). Working to connect climate change to your local community will enhance the effectiveness of your campaign.
- Money Savings – While not the only consideration, cost is a big motivator when deciding to take climate-saving actions. Mention potential savings on energy and gas bills as an added benefit of doing the right thing.
- Self-Confidence – When people take action to impact climate change, they feel a sense of accomplishment and pride that can motivate them to continue taking steps to make a difference. Messages that tap into that pride in making a difference can be very effective.
- Economic Benefits – In this tough economy, many people view efforts to fight climate change as a way to create jobs and strengthen the economy. Consider positioning your campaign as a way to bring citizens together, collectively working to promote a sustainable economy.
Overall Message Development Tips
Create a Value Proposition:
The goal of a value proposition statement is to succinctly describe what you want your target audiences to feel/believe about your program. Value propositions are written in first person from the perspective of the target audience.
The structure of a typical value proposition and an example of this structure in use is listed below:
“If I (desired action/behavior change) I will (reward/benefits of behavior) because (support).”
“If I purchase ENERGY STAR products I will feel good because I know that I am making a smart decision that will both help protect the environment and save me money on my energy bills.”
Create a Message Platform:
Your message platform should expand upon your value proposition. When creating the platform, try to:
- Be simple and direct -- can the audience understand the main message in 3-5 seconds?
- Create an emotional connection with the audience
- Sell benefits, not features. Below are a few examples of headlines that sell benefits:
- “Our 9 PM news is like their 10 PM news, only you’re awake” -Fox News (KRIV)
- “Money Talks, We Translate” -Wall Street Journal
- “No One Ever Went to Their Death Bed Saying ‘You Know, I Wish I’d Eaten More Rice Cakes’ ” -Riverside Chocolate Factory
Questions to Answer:
- What is the key insight that will drive your audience to change their behavior?
- What benefits can you offer your audience?
- What do you want your audience to believe about your program?
- Are there specific message points you can use to create an emotional connection to your audience?
- What is the main message?
- What supporting messages are important to your audience
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