At the same time a major overhaul was undertaken of the Southbank Centre brand alongside a new approach to marketing, underpinned by thorough quantitative and qualitative research.  The brand position was about creating new types of relationships across art forms and building new relationships with audiences.

A rich mix of activities was undertaken across the site when it reopened in 2006. The new brand was used on all touch points including a new signage system on the south bank. Workshops were used to guide all staff in understanding the newly refurbished building and the full brand story.

The marketing and communications explained the breadth and depth of creativity at Southbank Centre attracting new attenders (over 250,000 to the opening weekend) and driving sales and membership.

The segment of the general public identified was already very concerned about the environment but currently weren’t members of any environmental NGOs.  They thought that the solutions to these complex problems were impossible to find and the media coverage was seen as depressing and off-putting. So first and foremost they didn’t need to be ‘sold’ the importance of the environmental issues but rather given a window to support them.

For business we needed to position WWF as the essential environmental organisation to consult or partner in the pursuit of sustainable solutions, with a mainstream business audience.

Campaigns were devised that targeted both groups by focussing on the solutions, which were seen as far more motivating, and the messaging was about two of the major environmental threats – C02 emissions and deforestation.  These two issues were also priority areas of work for WWF and research showed that the public (and business) were particularly concerned about climate change and deforestation.

The aim was to demonstrate that increased influence with government and business could make a difference. We wanted to show that people could make a big difference to the environmental issues themselves.

We ran a regional multi-media campaign. Posters, radio and events were used to reinforce the message, along with a dedicated website, featuring stories about WWF’s work, a planet hero quiz, information on what people could do to help reduce environmental problems, and the opportunity to join WWF.

An extensive PR campaign was used to bring the campaign alive, including a feature where a family affected by the Birmingham Tornado in 2005, met a family from Boscastle, previously affected by the flooding in Cornwall.  Also a WWF survey was conducted showing that over 85 per cent of people in Birmingham were increasingly worried about the impacts of global warming which gained media coverage.

Partnerships were a critical part of the campaign delivery with support from HSBC, Ben & Jerrys and Canon.

The campaign resulted in increased awareness of WWF as an environmental organisation.  And importantly consideration to support amongst those who saw the campaign increased by 17% with 1,000 new members.

The positive affects of the campaign were useful in developing relationships with current partners as well as developing new partnerships with Disney, and ITV’s Extinct series.

In the business community, we achieved an increase in familiarity rating amongst business leaders up by 5% as a result of the whole campaign to target business leaders.

The Marketing and Communications Director at Care said of our work:  “Care International was delighted to engage Green Banana Marketing to develop an engagement strategy for a new project. They provided relevant and engaging insights to the challenge, quickly getting to the root of the issues. The strategy, which they developed, helped achieve the necessary levels of corporate support and importantly focused on dealing with the barriers as well as positioning the benefits. I would have no hesitation in briefing Giles and Green Banana Marketing on future projects – providing refreshing, creative and cost effective work“.

Our partnership strategy provided a route map to achieving the appropriate corporate funding for a new online product in the most achievable sectors, enabling Care International to further its vision.  The strategy provided a clear articulation of the benefits to potential partners, the most appropriate sectors to target, a full analysis of the likely target audience, and creative engagement ideas for partnerships.

The strategy has helped secure meetings in the identified support and funding from at least 3 of the partners.

Unilever’s Keith Weed pledged at The Marketing Society’s Annual Conference to halve emissions from his 4,000 products (as diverse as Marmite and Dove soap) by 2020. Who can blame him for injecting some creativity into embedding sustainability – it is now core to Unilever’s business. The scale of the challenge is clear with 68% of emissions coming from product use.

Imagining tomorrow’s products is one of their approaches (think Comfort’s One Rinse detergent which needs less water to wash clothes) alongside working with the right ‘expert’ NGO partners to help them on their journey.

As the global population booms and we see a shift of power from G7 to E7 countries, Keith said it is important for companies to be transparent (as people are increasingly interested in companies) and to be honest with what is achievable (if the whole planet lived like we do in the West we would need an extra three planets to support us).
The International Airlines Group CEO, Willie Walsh claimed reducing emissions could be achieved through the use of biomass plants to create aviation fuel and by rationalising air traffic control into one system, allegedly saving 12% of CO.  Perhaps more leadership in driving such innovation through to a workable proposal is needed from Willie himself?

Emerging economies such as Indian, China and Brazil are also key to addressing global sustainability.  Dr Tim Lucas from Sao Paolo’s The Listening Agency talked about Brazil’s uniqueness  – on track to be the fifth largest economy. Brands are respected and a fierce class hierarchy exists which has driven many companies to have sub brands to co-exist in completely different parts of town.  Perhaps a shared approach to product sustainability and recycling could unify company approaches- something few brands have attempted.

Ajayan Gopinathan from The Philosophers Stone discussed Indian’s motivations and desires. The world’s third largest economy is clearly enjoying a boom. 32% of the population are under 15 years of age and kid’s parent pester power is king when it comes to certain brands. Young people think they can do anything, an energy brands could harness for the good of the people and the planet.

Brands new to this market need to touch people with narrative stories that fuse cultures in sensitive and real ways. Indians are people oriented and very proud of their country.  Over 865 million have mobile phones and there are 400 TV channels – many of them local.

We’ve learnt from our work in emerging markets like China and Brazil that people care deeply about sustainability.  Companies who tailor their approach supported with on the ground projects making a real difference, stand to be part of the country’s fabric for the next decade.

Despite the competition for media this week, there has been some good coverage about MSC new guide:-

Supermarkets criticised for ‘poor and confusing’ fish labelling

The Guardian - ‎May 4, 2011‎

Fish retail labels ‘inadequate’

BBC News - ‎May 4, 2011‎

The announcement of an additional 80,000 work experience places for young people and an additional 50,000 apprenticeship places in the words of Ann Pettifor it is ‘foolish’ that we are not harnessing their energy and skills to be part of a new economy less reliant on oil.

Although the Chancellor made much of “start-up Britain”, he did little to encourage green enterprise; the Green Investment Bank, which is a great idea, will not be lending until 2015, which is not good news if you are a fledgling clean technology company getting off the ground.  Some of the measures eased the pain on consumers of the high price of fuel and will be popular (and headline grabbing) but the reality is we’ll save about 50 pence for every fill up. It’s head in the sand stuff and will do nothing to wean the UK off our dangerous reliance on oil.

We need a long-term strategy for an efficient, low-carbon transport system.  Investing £200 million for the funding of new rail projects is a drop in the ocean. Tax breaks and incentives could have been offered for companies investing in new energy technologies that would attract city funding, turning this new economy into reality. But given that the new Green Investment Bank won’t start lending until 2015, we may have to wait for the next Greenest Government.

Increased weather disasters and the depletion of natural resources are part of this changing world we inhabit. We can’t keep taking from our planet in the way that we have become accustomed – there just aren’t enough fish left in the sea (or oil left in the ground) to meet our demand. The break point could be as near as 2050 when the main global oil reserves become depleted. Innovation, it is hoped, will increase as ‘stocks’ dwindle. We know that when commodities are scarce people become more resourceful. Therefore innovation should pique with new solutions to help us lead lives that are more in harmony with the planet in the next decade. Today I found inspiration in the most unlikeliest of places- from Yorkshire tea, yes that’s right the great British cuppa. They’ve decided to go out to people where tea is scarce in a US style road trip. Expat communities around the world can prepare themselves for the great Yorkshire tea ice-cream van – ‘little urn’. It’s not a bad idea for us environmentalists, why not have pop-up top ten tips stores and drive through Eco centres around the big cities to explain the simple changes you can make in your daily lives (and how these can impact on our planet). You might even get a free ‘seeing is believing’ cuppa!