Movement-based marketing (MBM) is an approach to marketing that emphasizes widespread adoption and use of messaging and marketing materials across a movement.
MBM can come in many forms, from simple marketing logos to complex movement-wide marches and lobbying. The common elements are a common objective and shared resources.
Marketing is an important component in movement-building. Common messaging and marketing materials that are shared freely and adapted to specific needs can help build a social mandate and political will to act.
No one owns a movement, and no one organization can organize the core messaging and marketing material.
Lead organizations can, however, play a key role in developing and promoting material consistent with the strategic priorities of the movement. In many cases, lead organizations of all types will collaborate and amplify the impact of a campaign.
A movement campaign, therefore, can be both organized and organic at the same time. And if you’ve ever been in an organized climate march, you will know just how creative the signs can be. It stands to reason that MBM campaigns will also allow for interpretation and individual expression is support of the core message and objectives of a movement-wide campaign.
n particular, movement-based campaigns should be easily adapted to local and regional priorities. Campaigns can also encourage individual creativity, including hand-made signs at rallies, and social media posts with the campaign hashtag.
In the past, social movements, such as civil rights, feminism and gay rights all had a consistent and common message of equality that was reflected in speeches and rallies.
More recently, the economic ideology of neoliberalism has created a network of think-tanks, organizations, and political connections to join together in promote a common agenda and to counter social and environmental policies, including climate action.
In the environmental sector, the 3Rs logo, designed in 1970, is a prime example of a simple logo that helped shape the recycling movement. More recently, the Warming Stripes out of the University of Reading have been widely used to visualize local warming trends over the past two centuries. The stripes can be downloaded from https://showyourstripes.info/ and used for any purpose under a Creative Commons (CC-BY4.0) license, as long as credit is given.
Finally, the No Kings marches in the United States provide a textbook example of MBM within a movement-wide campaign, with over 200 organizations collaborating to bring millions of Americans out to protest marches with homemade signs and one common message: “No Kings.”
Anyone can participate — activists, professionals, volunteers, scientists, experts, entrepreneurs, businesses, governments, organizations, and any other descriptor you care to give yourself.
We can all support climate campaigns, each in our own way.
Start with a simple and strategic goal, and build a multi-faceted campaign.
Include convential media, social media, talking points, protest marches, lobbying, community outreach and merchandising. Flood the zone.
Take the complexity of our movement, and use it to our advantage.
We work on all kinds of climate solutions from global initiatives to community projects.
Movement campaigns work from global leadership to kitchen conversations and everything inbetween. They empower us, wherever we are, and whatever aspect of climate change and solutions we are working on.
Movement-based campaigns bring the entire weight of the climate movement to bear on key objectives, yet they can also be adapted to fit local priorities and engagement opportunities.
Unlike our adversaries, our motives are to protect our planet, build community and economic resilience, and offer hope for a better future.
Movement-based campaigns are meant to be shared freely and widely.
This site contains ideas you can adapt and use in your work to support climate leadership and action. All ideas are free to use under a Creative Commons 0 licence. They are ideas, nothing more. Feel free to adapt and adopt, and to suggest other ideas for a stronger climate movement.
Some poster designs have a hashtag to identify the designer. Feel free to contact them for more information on their work.
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