Movement-based marketing ideas for a global climate movement.
We are a global climate movement.
We have all the resources we need to fight climate change. And yet, we find ourselves on the brink of unacceptable failure.
We need ways to make our movement unstoppable.
To counter the inertia, avoidance, and outright denial of the climate emergency, we need to….
…think strategically and act creatively in order to achieve our common goal of a future that is net-zero, resilient, and better.
So how do we even begin to “think like a movement?
The short answer is “strategic marketing” – one part strategic analysis to figure out what needs to happen in order to achieve climate success, and one part “social marketing” to build an unstoppable social mandate for action.
This is no easy task. It requires looking beyound our own organizations and expertise to understand how a movement works. It means setting our own actions in the context of a movement. It can challenge our own world view and theories of change, but it can also strengthen our ability to contribute to the overall goal of a climate-friendly future.
On this site, you will find ideas for both a strategic approach to marketing, and marketing and campaign ideas that can help us realize our common strategic objectives.
These are just ideas – ideas to help build the social mandate to support climate leadership and action around the world.
Use them as you can. And if you have a better idea, bring it on!
Now think of how it can help sell climate leadership and action.
That image is as simple as a blue ring that represents the atmosphere surrounding our planet. Now imagine that symbol being everywhere: on t-shirts, lawn signs, and protest signs, store windows, government and business climate plans and programs, community projects, and ads for climate solutions. Think of it as a universal statement of support for climate leadership and action.
A symbol is a powerful marketing tool for building an unstoppable social movement. The 3Rs logo (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) is just one example.
Be creative! Think of ways you can use the climate symbol to raise awareness and commitment.
A COMMON GOAl: For all the complexity of climate change and a climate movement, we all share the common goal of a future that is net-zero, resilient, and better. By focusing on this common goal, we build common cause and a stronger movement.
COMMON TARGETS: A smooth transition to a net-zero, resilient, and better future will take years, which means we can set clear milestone targets for a climate movement, including:
Each one of these targets connects to, and supports, a complex climate movement. Movement-wide marketing based on common targets can support leadership and collaboration at an international level as well as targeted campaigns and community engagement
The road to a net-zero, resilient and better future will be long and difficult, but what if we could design movement-wide, adaptive campaigns that support the milestone goals for acheiving a smooth and just transition.
For starters, if we want to build an unstoppable movement, then our first goal should be to have every government (national, regional and local), every company (international to local) and everyone of us to be part of a global climate movement by the end of 2025 at the latest. “All in for the climate!”
From a marketing perspective, our goal is to have everyone and every organization, business, and government say. “Yes, I’m in,” which in turn provides the undeniable mandate for leadership and action, Achieving this goal will require designing a campaign that can be easily “adapted and adopted” around the world by major organizations down to local groups.
It’s actually not that hard. The simple answer is: “think like a movement!”
A movement is all of us, working together, each through our own abilities, to achieve a common goal. A movement seeks to build a social mandate that empowers leadership and action. So, the question we must each ask ourselves is, “how can I help?”
Again, the simple answer is start using the images and messaging of a global climate movement to promote climate leadership and climate solutions that will help reduce emissions, adapt to climate change, and even improve their lives.
The ideas on this site are just that – ideas. They need creative talents, local passion, and possibly some resources to grow them into the tools to market a global climate movement.
Find creative ways to spread our common goals and images through social media, t-shirts and merchandise, window stickers, signs and advertising.
Be Creative
Individual groups can use our marketing and campaign ideas as part of their efforts to build the mandate for climate action and promote leadership.
Engage and Promote
Lead organizations and funders can join forces to design common strategic campaigns and support a global marketing hub for climate action.
Build the Movement
This site contains ideas you can adapt and use in your work to support climate leadership and action.
They are ideas, nothing more. Feel free to adapt and adopt, and to suggest other ideas for a stronger climate movement.
This site will evolve.
Design version 1.0 November, 2013
Design version 2.1: February, 2024
Global Climate Movement + All In campaign: May, 2024
Design version 2.2: June, 2024 revised presentation
Header photos courtesy of https://climatevisuals.org/ – sea ice melt ponds: NASA/Kathryn Hansen; Forest fires and blaze: Quarrie Photography | Jeff Walsh | Cass Hodge; Woman and Child in Floodwater: Kompas/Hendra A Setyawan / World Meteorological Organization