Brief: Create a campaign to boost awareness among a youth audience about the importance of moving to a low-carbon energy system.

1. Youth
Energy
Challenge

2. Who we are
Better PR is a leading environmental PR team
in the UK, based in London
Specialising in environment, lifestyle and health
Establishing strategic ways of reaching our
target audience through a deep research on
our audience insights
Award-winning PR agency with PR Week Awards
Integrated Campaign of the year 2013

3. Our Clients
Inspiring
leadership and
driving the
transformative
change that is
needed for a
clean revolution
Positioned
as thought
leader in
recycling
On their way to
becoming the
world’s greenest
retailer

4. The Challenge
Young people show interest and concern about climate
change but DO NOT ENGAGE SIGNIFICANTLY in pro-
environmental behaviours because of
COMPETING
PRIORITIES: more
pressing concerns
and worries about
employment, the
economy,
education
A SENSE OF
HOPELESSNESS AND
INEVITABILITY:
belief that
nothing can be
done
A LACK OF
KNOWLEDGE ABOUT
THE IMPACTS OF
CLIMATE CHANGE:
it’s far away and
do not affect us
now

5. Aims
To get the
conversation
started about
climate change
and the need to
cut carbon
emissions
To increase
involvement of
young people in
pro-environmental
activities

6. To increase the association of ecology
with a growing business offering career
opportunities
To raise awareness of the concrete
solutions available towards a low-carbon
energy system
To get young people involved HERE and
NOW
Objectives

7. Our Target
Audience
18-24 olds
University Students Office Workers
In London

8. Why them?
Members of student unions/societies are key influencers: have
significant reach in youth networks, can become energy
ambassadors and engage their peers
Collaborative spirit easy to unite around a project/ideology
University campuses facilitates meetings/exchanges/events
Possibility to directly reach the target audience through university
internal communication: Intranet/University mail/Facebook pages/
Website/Radio
Through their education, they will become the future elite and will
play a crucial part in the choices that will determine the future of
our planet

9. What they say*
* Climate Outreach and Information Network, “Young Voices Project”, October 2014
“Climate change seems so
far away, it’s a very
difficult thing for people
to grasp. It’s really quite
hard to relate its impact
to people’s life. I think
there is a need to make it
more tangible in order to
reach out young
generations and start
take actions at the
community level”
“I’m not too aware really of the
government’s policies in sort of
sustainability and energy. I know they
are trying to do stuff on carbon
emissions but I couldn’t tell you what.
Most of the current mainstream
politics, I wouldn’t trust them. They
seem to be in a different world. I
think there is little faith in politicians
amongst young people in general. I
would personally first trust my friends
or family and follow their lead if I
had to engage in green activities”
“I think young people do care
about it but they feel guilty and
powerless about it. It feels like
something we can’t fight and
that it’s not our responsibility to
take action. The government
should provide us with concrete
solutions, show us what we can
do on our daily life and give us
the opportunity to act. I think
then many young people are
likely to get involved”
Joe, 24, Music studentKylie, 21, Fashion student Samantha, 22, Economics student

10. How to reach them?
Through:
University
Professors
Green celeb:
Emma Thompson
Green music
band: St James
Hiphoptronics
Via:
Events
Webpages
Poster/Digital
Infographics
Social media
Print media

11. Strategy
Connect the dots between the global (warming)
and the personal in an engaging positive way
to involve young people HERE and NOW.
The campaign simultaneously educates on the
real impacts of climate change on young
people’s life and future AND provides them with
positive and rewarding opportunities to take
action.

12. Key message
Prevent Local Burning
Act HERE and NOW

13. Main Tactic
Prevent.Local.Burning Challenge
The challenge consists of engaging students in creating a “Green Society” in their university’s
Student Union and is presented during a launching event taking place in central London.
Emma Thompson sponsors the challenge and gives a talk on her engagement at the
launching event, creating a stunt and media coverage.
The Green Societies (max. 15 students) are challenged to build a 3 months green agenda with
significant activities around the theme of clean energy/eco-friendly behaviours.
At the end of the 3 months, the Green Societies come and present their project during the
Green Award Day. A local music band is invited to give small concert.
Their project is assessed by a jury from DECC looking at some relevant evidence through
Instagram/Facebook/Twitter posts and likes, pictures of the activities, video reportage.
The winner Green Society goes on a volunteering trip to the Philippines to help people
touched by natural disasters caused by climate change.
In partnership with and
The challenge is likely to gain popularity and engagement among young people, or at least get
the conversation started in universities because of the incentive of the trip and to gain
coverage from the media.

14. Prevent.Local.Burning
Timeline
Digital Media
Facebook
pages, Twitter
account,
Microsite
Send press
releases/
emails/
invitations
Launching
Event
Green Award Day
Volunteering trip
Jan
12th
Jan
19th
Infographics
Jan
31st
May
2nd
Jun 1st
-> 15th

15. Step 1
Digital Media
Prevent.Local.Burning Challenge
Facebook page with practical
information concerning the
challenge , posts on eco-friendly
tips, posts on green events and
activities in London “Green
Societies” could participate in as
part of their project.
Event Facebook page promoting
the Launching Event with
practical information about the
activity programme.
!
!
!
!
!
!
Prevent Local Burning
Challenge
!
!
!
!!
!

16. Prevent.Local.Burning Twitter account:
Information about Prevent.Local.Burning
Challenge activities and events
Engage key public figures on Twitter to
ask for support for the campaign
#Prevent.Local.Burning: green celebrities
(Emma Thompson, Jamie Oliver), music
bands and singers (Paolo Nutini, Bloc
Party, Kasabian who played at Al Gore
Live Earth concerts), BBC TV/Radio
presenters (Dick Strawbridge, BBC TV
presenter; Lisa L’Anson, BBC london Live
DJ), green NGO (Greenpeace)
Step 1
Digital Media

17. Prevent.local.Burning Challenge Microsite within the DECC website:
Practical information
Downloadable Prevent.Local.Burning pack containing materials on the impact
of climate change on people here and now (health/food/flooding/economy),
Green activities programme and green agenda that can be adopted by Green
Societies, concrete solutions and information about clean energies
Subscription forms
Step 1
Digital Media

18. Step 2
Press releases/mails/
invitations
Press releases informing the media of the launch of the
challenge and inviting them to the launching event.
!
!
!
!
!
Monday, 12th January 2015!
!
!
DECC launches a green challenge for universities’ students to win a volunteering
trip to the Philippines!
!
This week, the Department of Energy & Climate Change launches subscriptions to the
Prevent Local Burning Challenge aiming at raising awareness about climate change and
engaging university students in London to get involved in green activities. The objective to
get university students from Student Unions to create a “Green Society” in their own
university, with the incentive to win a volunteering trip to the Philippines to help people
touched by natural disasters caused by climate change. !

19. !
Climate Change: Students Are Back

20. Back from the Arctic, Emma Thompson sponsors
students green challenge Prevent.Local.Burning

21. Step 2
Press releases/mails/
invitations
Mails and phone calls to inform London universities of
the challenge and ask them to engage their students by
promoting the challenge on their website and spreading
the word through university email (StudentUnion/Radio).

22. Step 2
Press releases/mails/
invitations
Invite green celeb Emma
Thompson (actress, author and
engaged activist) to give a
short talk on climate change
at the launching event.
Invite local music band St
James Hiphoptronics to play at
the Green Award day.
Invite ecology sector
professionals to the Green
Award day.

23. Step 3
Infographics
We created a serie of infographics representing
STRIKING DATA on the impact of climate change on
people here and now, the positive impact of
climate change policies on the UK economy and
on concrete solutions.
They also engage to participation in the
Prevent.Local.Burning Challenge
The infographics will be distributed as printed
posters in London universities AND as digital
infographics on website/social media (Facebook).

24. Informs of the tangible effects of climate change on people’s
lives.
Shows it affects everyone.

25. Be part of it ! Act here and now @ gov.uk/prevent.local.burning.
links climate change with employment, career opportunities and
health; seen as pressing concerns by young people.
Shows to bright side, the possible positive impact of engagement
against climate change on young generations future.
Offer the opportunity to be part of it, act here and now by taking
part of the challenge.

26. Be part of it ! Act here and now @ gov.uk/prevent.local.burning.
Provides young people with concrete solutions to live a
greener life that are simple to adopt on daily life.
Allow to involve young people and show them they can
actually act against climate change.
Incentive to like the Facebook page.
!
Hit “like” on our
Facebook page
Prevent.Local.
Burning.

27. Step 4
Launching Event
Taking place in central London
Presentation of the Prevent.Local.Burning Challenge : the
Green Societies (max. 15 students) are challenged to build a 3
months green agenda with significant activities around the
theme of clean energy/eco-friendly behaviours to protect THE
THINGS THEY LOVE.
Presentation of the volunteering trip to win.
Lecture on the impact of climate change on people here and
now (health/food/flooding/economy).
Emma Thompson’s talk on her engagement as green
ambassador.
Green activities programmes and green agendas that can be
adopted by Green Student Societies.
Stands with professionals working in the ecology field
(connect climate change to the employment, seen as a pressing
issue by young people + shows positive impact on the future
with opening career opportunities).
Subscriptions to the challenge.

28. Step 5
Green Awards Day
Presentation and assessment of the
Green Projects by a jury from DECC
looking at some relevant evidence of
actions through Instagram/Facebook/
Twitter posts and likes, pictures of the
activities, video reportage.
Local music band St James
Hiphoptronics concert
Awarding trip and Green Award to the
winning Green Society

29. Step 6
Volunteering Trip
Volunteering trip to the Philippines in
Cebu island, most affected by 2013
Typhoon Hayan Disaster, caused by
climate change.
Volunteers will help people touched by
the disaster by bringing educational
infrastructures back to order.
Press release to recall the media of
the trip.
In partnership with

30. Evaluation
!
!
!
Facebook likes of
challenge page (2000)
Facebook participation
to launching event
(1000)
Twitter hashtag/
followers (500/1000)
Visits to microsite (10
000)
Downloads of
information pack (100)
Infographics shares
(2000)
!
!
!
!
Articles on the
press (15)
· Position: Page No./Front/
Back
· Length of article
· Tone: Neutral/
Positive/Negative
· Pictures
Minutes of radio
coverage (20)
!
!
!
!
Prevent.Local.Burning
challenge participants
(150)
Launching event
participants (500)
Green Award Day
participants (200)

31. Budget
Microwebsite………………………………………………..£1500
Social Network development………………….……£1000
Infographics and design packs…………………..£2000
Print media.……………………………………………….£1500
Events……………………………………………………..£15 000
Volunteering trip……………………………………..…£7000
Agency fees……………..………………………………£12 000
TOTAL……………………………………………………….£40 000

32. Thank you

33. Rationale
The campaign takes into account a deep research on the audience insights to establish a strategic way of reaching the target
audience: young people aged 18-24.!
The first insight, consisting in young people feeling issues like the employment and the economy are more pressing than climate
change is tackled by step 3 and 4: the infographics and the stands with professionals from the ecology field enlighten about a growing
business, future career opportunities and connect climate change with a pressing concern for young people.!
The second insight, about young people seeing climate change as a remote issue happening far away that do not involve them is
tackled in step 1, 3 and 4 through the information package on microsite, infographics and talks on the launching event. It is also
tackled in the key message of the campaign “Prevent.Local.Burning. Act HERE and NOW” that conveys proximity and immediacy of the
issue.!
The third insight consists in young people feeling powerless. It is tackled by the whole challenge which gives students the opportunity
to act HERE and NOW by participating as well as through the infographics that offer simple green solutions to adopt. Finally, the
volunteering trip allows young people to directly help fighting the consequence of climate change, raising awareness on its impact on
people at the same time. !
!
The focus on that specific audience (university students) and geographic (London) allows to go deeper and engage the audience in a
concrete way to respond to the need of making such a big issue as climate change more personal and tangible.!
!
The campaign responds to the requirements of the client by collaborating with other organisations. The partnership also allows to
establish a big campaign: we believe it is necessary to tackle such a big issue relevantly. !
The outcome concerning actual participations to the challenge will be reduced (max. 15 students per university) but the primary aim of
the client, “getting the conversation started”, is reached: most university students are likely to hear about the challenge and talk about
it as it happens in their own university and involves winning a volunteering trip (strong incentive). We expect that the events will both
attract a great amount of student because of the presence of Emma Thompson and concerts, as well as good media coverage. !
The campaign can be reiterated every year and developed further in the future, gaining on popularity and impact along time.
Laureline Baron, December 16th 2014