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Connecting with audiences based on the values that are behind a desired activity/behavior can be more powerful than highlighting benefits to the audience. This values-driven approach has been shown to have more impact than ‘saving the environment’ or even ‘cost savings’ messages, according to the founder of Climate Outreach, George Marshall, who presented at Behavior, Energy and Climate Change conference (BECC). (See a synopsis of Arlene’s ‘Public Engagement through Art’ presentation on our previous newsletter.)

For example, instead of touting the cost-savings and environmental benefits of home insulation, consider:

“Your home is great. It’s where you bring up your family. It’s where you share some of the best moments of your life. You want to keep it cozy. Insulation is a good way to do that.”

This ‘audience first’ approach closely resembles ‘Start with Why’ and the design and communication processes that I use in practice, and with my students.

In our communication work, we orient every aspect of a message around the intended recipient: story structure, visual style, and language used. So, I can relate to focusing on an audience’s need.

Marshall’s presentation made the point that prioritizing the audiences’ values (even above the benefits of a product/service) throughout this messaging, can create impact on sustainability-related behavior change. 

“We need more multi-disciplinary… communication… social science… storytelling.” I was struck by the reoccurring mention of these terms while attending the National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE) annual conference in Washington, D.C. in late January.

NCSE is a conference of scientists (primarily earth & physical scientists) who do highly specialized research related to environment and climate. At this year’s event, I presented as part of a MN-based symposium on “Artists as Partners in Infrastructure Education.” (More details on our symposium here.) It was refreshing to hear the desire for collaboration coming from both scientists and the worlds I inhabit — communication and creativity.

For research findings to be accepted and acted upon by communities, scientists and policymakers need to draw more personal ties between policies and how individuals interact with them. An important step in this is helping the public understand a bit more of the system (and the ‘why’) behind a particular policy. Because 65% of people are visual learners, and because graphics are an important method of showing complex systems, visuals are an excellent tool to help audiences relate to and connect with content. It’s why at science conferences, you’ll find me advocating for design, creativity and the arts. At design conferences, I’m the advocate for science, data and content!

Our symposium group hopes to continue the dialogue of how artists can contribute to the great work these scientists are already doing — and help give their findings a relevant and emotional hold on communities around the world.

– Arlene

Effectively communicating sustainability across sectors

What do European climate scientists, Midwest U.S. organic farmers, and small arts organizations have in common? They all have a huge amount of data (or potential for it) and battle with balancing science and more personal, emotional messages in their communications.

In the past few months, I’ve presented to scientists at the Copernicus Climate Change Service general assembly in Europe, to organic farmers at the Midwest Organic Farming Conference (MOSES), and to artists and arts organizations as a panelist at Data for Art.

In order help audiences grasp the very complex scenarios involved in each of these industries, we have to both produce solid, objective research about these subjects and provide more subjective entry points into the information. Our goal: Help non-experts grasp the concepts and navigate the content. These entry points should show how the data can be understood from a variety of different perspectives, and aim to tell stories with the data. Visual stories reach audiences and help people connect with these complex concepts.

We have to improve how we communicate this important information, so that our audiences — policymakers, stakeholders, businesses, consumers, and citizens — can more fully engage and ultimately take action. Because if people can’t grasp the information, they default to ‘Business as Usual’: they ignore the information and do nothing (and that won’t help our planet one bit!). We can do better, and when audiences are more engaged, our organizations benefit and so does our common cause. — AB