Guerrilla Marketing: a resource for environmental communication?

by Andrea Stecich

Covered market in Valencia. It’s 9 A.M. Careful gazes scan tomatoes, more expensive than usual, and are enamoured by bright colors of the fabrics and clothes. Suddenly, the butcher starts to sing an aria waving his ax, followed closely by the greengrocer, and then the cheese seller, the cloth merchant, the florist and so on. The music and the songs are spreading more and more under the market’s cover. Some astonished but delighted passers-by are singing softly a classic music opera’s tune.

Here's an example of guerrilla marketing, organized by the Valencia’s Opera to promote their shows. In slang we talk about flash mobs and it’s one of the most interesting (and less invasive) aspects of guerrilla marketing. Indeed, the name immediately calls to mind the idea of urban warfare: the aim is to win, neighborhood after neighborhood, everyone's attention on a particular topic. The methods are numerous, often original, and bordering on the illegal: stickers, posters, stencils’ adhesion on all available surfaces (floors, walls, arcades, shop windows) and in large quantities, creation of flash mobs and viral web campaigns. If the message is able to disrupt the passer-by, maybe desecrating the usual visual and cultural codes, the result can be explosive. 

The subject is very interesting and appealing, so that Turin’s Fitzlab association decided to organize a meeting about it. At the conference’s table were sitting Luisella Carnelli (Fitzcarraldo association), Carolina Lucchesini (Officine Corsare’s co-founder) and Nicola Facciotto (Kalatà advertising agency). They explained that this particular marketing interpretation, born in 1984, aims to go beyond traditional communication via two pathways: unlimited originality, up to breaking laws, and viral invasive messages. Using these weapons, the traditional communication’s effectiveness results enhanced, reaching (actively) a great number of citizens. This unordinary “fire power” costs: typically, a guerrilla marketing campaign is more expensive than a traditional one, because basic communication’s costs (guerrilla can’t do much without them) are added to those typical ones of guerrilla marketing, which often requires hundreds or thousands of stickers, stencils, flyers or postcards.

However, in front of the positive experience represented by Officine Corsare (dealing a socio-political theme), a question arises: what kind of application for guerrilla in environmental communication field? Speakers don’t say anything about it due to the subject’s complexity and variability. It’s not easy to judge it. However, if in cultural sectors, by nature highly creative ones, unconventional approaches to promotion and communication are tolerated, in the environmental field conditions seem to be generally different, limiting the number of available tools for a guerrilla approach. Among these ones, flash mobs and viral web campaign, if properly customized for each case, represent valuable tools to realize an unforgettable and participated communication campaign about environmental protection’s issues. In summary, guerrilla marketing is a surplus value for every informative campaign, but only if declined to be appropriate depending on the scope, particularly in environmental communication, as well represented by the awareness campaign, realized by Auckland City (New Zealand), on correct waste collection, named “Beautify your city”.

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It’s hard to stop a guerrilla

by Eleonora Anello

Not so long ago we talked about a funny ambient marketing campaign promoted by the Volkswagen Group, the largest motor industry in Europe. If that time it was appreciated for the excellent environmental communication, Greenpeace now reveals its “dark side”.Detournement has come!

The tireless people of Greenpeace made the parody be their most effective weapon, and got to harness the VW media power twisting the famous Passat commercial launch. In the official video a baby Darth Vader practices to move objects laying on of the hands.The “Volkswagen darkside” video reveals the true role of VW and it calls up the rebels. According to Greenpeace, VW lobbies to stop the rising targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the EU rather than engaging in designing “greener” cars.

So the web started its guerrilla. On June 28th, the English version of the viral video against VW, at that time the most shared in the world, has been removed from Youtube. The LucasFilmLtd, author of the Star wars saga, issued the censorship claiming copyright.

Notwithstanding the GP channel has been blocked, individual users has been going on sharing the video via Facebook and Twitter with even more determination.

«Almost two million people have already seen our video, which is a way to tell the truth about the VW intention to curb climate-protecting laws – said Andrea Boraschi, campaign and Energy and climate division manager of Greenpeace Italy – we regret our Youtube channel was blocked and we hope this situation will change soon giving anyone the opportunity to watch our video anywhere».

Under the motto “if you strike us down, we shall become more powerful than you could possibly image”, quoted from Star Wars, the viral video still prospers on the web. GP could count on millions of Jedis who have been writing blaming VW and exponentially spreading the call.

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A question of style

by Eleonora Anello

Can the style of a communication campaign influence its effectiveness? May a bloody campaign have taken more than another that have soft and calm tones? There are no recipes suitable for all circumstances. It depends on many factors.

In the vast world of environmental communication, food-related issues are becoming increasingly important. Some initiatives focus on reducing waste, other on the nutritional habits in order to promote more respect for the environment.

The approaches are varied. “Chiediti cosa mangi anzi chi mangi” (“Ask you what you eat rather who you eat”), action demonstration staged in late June on the streets of Trastevere , a district of Rome, by activists of the OCSA (Organisation against animal slavery), is fully part of the "horror" series. They have meticulously reproduced the scenes that consume every day in slaughterhouses. The macabre re-enactment was the last act of a long protest against the exploitation of animals killed by the meat industry. Strong images accompanied by unpleasant sounds of cries of dying animals destined for our tables. And then posters made with the blood that has attracted the attention of passers-by and, in conclusion, the advice given by the voice-over, which is to switch to a vegan diet.

A shock campaign that is difficult to see in Italy, but more frequent in other European countries like France, where they often take on a re-educational function, or used in Spain as a brake restraining the adoption of certain behaviours.

Beyond the Europe’s confines, it have been adopted softer approaches, that privilege more moderate tones. In the emerging China, a country that is rapidly aligning the lifestyles of industrialized countries and where, ultimately, against the ancient traditions, the meat on the tables never fails, they are hooked to fashion. The PETA’s activists, the known group for the ethical treatment of animals, launched the campaign "Save a cow. Eat this instead Dress". A simple message, broadcast by Gao Yuanyuan, actress not only fascinating but true example to be followed after her conversion to veg diet. The testimonial became a model wearing clothes and accessories made of plants and creating meaningful images served to spread the message. The Chinese were able to appreciate a dress made of lettuce leaves or a banal necklace of chillies. In an interview with Reuters Jason Baker, a member of Peta has added details on the initiative: «We worked on the campaign with other celebrities wearing bikinis and dresses made of lettuce, but this is the first time we had a Chinese celebrity. To ensure that the vegetables remain fresh and crisp during the photo shoot and to get the best results, we have hired to work detail on a five tailors».

Two campaigns that extol the abandonment of the meat from their menus. Two different styles. Perhaps only two ways to emerge from the jungle of messages where we unravelled daily.

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An apocalyptic goodbye

by Eleonora Anello

How does the world become without the use of renewable energy? This was figured out by Lecce 2080, articulated and complex ambient marketing campaign that in early summer has animated the streets of the city in Puglia. Through the original communication project, Nextwind, a company that deals with alternative energy, said goodbye to the market in this Italian region. In this way, the company has wanted to make people think about possible scenarios related to environmental choices that exclude low energy impact.

But let's see what it is. «The project we have packaged for Nextwind – the communication agency Utopya Minds Lab explain in a note - is a shocking campaign. The duration of the whole action was 45-days and was divided into 3 phases: teaser, transition and revealing. The beginning was marked by street marketing action which involved the placement of paper made eggs placed in strategic points of the city. Conventional and un-conventional means integrated together to hit multiple targets at different times. The concept is clear: in 2080 for not having kids-fish originating from genetic mutations and the sunken cities, now it is necessary make “alternative” choices. The tone of the campaign is a growing, from the melancholy record of the 'virtual diary' kept by the father of this imaginary baby (ndr Spigolino) on the lecce2080.it site on the determination of the complaint that the company wanted to do to give its version of events . As regards the results, we prefer to quote the numbers: the site had over 18,000 unique visits and over 23,000 pages were viewed. The Facebook Fanpage has collected nearly 1,700 preferences and more than 5,000 visits. We have been in more than 30 articles in paper and web and have been involved hundreds of blogs. With a readership of over 1,000,000 readers/users, the campaign has far exceeded the primary target (local) also reaching the secondary (national)».

One of the targets of Nextwind moral testament was to the Administration Region, and, perhaps, beyond all expectations, the campaign has hit even higher, becoming the subject of a parliamentary question, but it has not been viewed positively by all the citizens of Lecce, what one reads between the comments assigned to the local newspapers. «The wolf in sheep's clothing. That’s the Nextwind. Italia Nostra, GenerAzione, Biocontestiamo and all the Salento municipalities should "accommodate" the huge wind parks are fighting hard against the choice made by this company of 20 Italians, bah .... only a link that asks our money to government incentives, subtracts the land to the farmers and sells ready-made projects speculating Scottish and Spanish companies. Spigolino arrived in Parliament but rather a moral issue: is it right that a company that sells wind turbines creates terror to make Salento citizens accept the dirty choices with the dress of the green economy?».

So not all of them are intimidated. Somebody openly criticize the choices of communication, «“Awareness” Campaign? But please, do not make fun of us! This campaign only served to sensitize the people on the plant in Salento endless expanse of wind turbines. There is very little awareness. It is not talk about saving energy, reducing energy costs, educational and environmental aspects ... It is not talk about raising awareness of renewable energy, the real ones! Moreover, these gentlemen, paladins of the green-economy, do not even have decency to listen to the "against" voices. On the group page on Facebook, they delete the negative comments, and take away the right to write to the users who are against! It ‘s good that you know this too!».

So, without the happy ending, the Spigolino adventure has concluded.

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Skyscrapers in waiting list

by Eleonora Anello

Can the skyscrapers been regarded as a symbol of modernity today? In a society that has discovered the right quantities, that adopts sober lifestyle in the respecting of the environment, tall buildings over 170 meters can represent it? These are the questions raised by the Committee of Turin “Non Grattiamo il cielo” (Not scratch the sky), created to fill the lack of a wide-ranging and constructive discussion with citizens affected by major planning changes. The decisions imposed from above, concern the construction of two skyscrapers, one of the Intesa San Paolo bank and the other of the Piedmont Region, intended to change the skyline of the historic Savoy city, overwhelmingly silhouetted on those mountains that in 2006 hosted the Olympic Games.

Do the citizens of Turin need a new symbol to identify with? Truly will enjoy the city new found fame? With all the brownfield sites in outlying areas, why building in downtown? How much energy does a skyscraper consume? Are these investments necessary for the city? These are the concerns communicated on the site by protesters that aspiring to involve citizens in the fight against the building of “unsustainable environmental emblems” -citing Luca Mercalli, president of the Italian Meteorological Society and AICA (International Association Environmental Communication) Scientific Committee member - relying mainly highly engaging activities through the web, without forgetting the presence on the territory that seeks to involve residents of affected areas to urban changes. One of the latest networking initiatives involved sending photographs depicting the landscape of Turin as it appears today from their window.

Wednesday, June 9th, 2010 at the Torre di Abele Library of Turin, the Committee turned to the government through the dissemination of an appeal initiated primarily by Italia Nostra (National association for the preservation of historic, artistic and natural heritage) asking to hear the voices of citizens and their economic, urban, landscape concerns. The press release starts from the consideration that the urban landscape, integrated into its natural surroundings and mountains, is a fundamental element of the collective heritage of Turin and it is necessary to support it as a cultural and social need, precise identification element for residents. The two towers are a strong element of striking discrepancy in terms of environmental sustainability in recent times the city tries to pursue. The Committed proposed not only a pause for reflection in order to rethink the project, but a lower impact alternatives aimed to reduce construction costs, management and consumption, and the opportunity was good also to boost petition on Firmiamo.it and on Facebook.

”Siamo vicini ai tuoi sogni” (We are close to your dreams), says the latest Intesa San Paolo commercial campaign, but if the shadow of the skyscraper will befall on its hometown will alienate some of the dreams of those who believe that their city needs care and investment behind the times, choices and sustainable technologies, renewable energy. Publishing the work “Lucia Forte sfida Renzo Piano” (from the Italian romance “I Promessi Sposi”) by Marco Pece alias udronotto, that represents the skyscraper under construction in Corso Vittorio Emanuele II built with LEGO bricks, we hope that the simplicity, the immediacy and the humorism of its message can continue to have a purely informational function that would bring other people to debate on these important changes. More...

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Election campaigns for who is not afraid to get their hands dirty

by Eleonora Anello

Armed with gloves, shovels and hoes, unusual groups of gardeners are striving to make flower degraded and grey corners of the city. It's called Guerrilla Gardening, was born in New York in the '70s and is into real subversives attacks, at the limit of legality, which often materialize in blitz at night. In recent years has had a very mass media success, which has favoured the emergence of many grassroots groups.

Here is a brief identikit of the true activist of today: they do not show themselves, trying to conceal their identity as much as possible; selflessly give a better landscape and green spaces that everyone can enjoy; keep in touch with other members through Internet and social networks. A movement that comes from below, uses the forms of synchronous communication and makes activists and local government agree.

From these principles Azione Zero (Action Zero) was born. It is an initiative of guerrilla gardening that Sunday, February 28th has affected the whole Region of Puglia (South Italy). Altamura, Oria, Brindisi, to name only a few cities, have given up political gardening, with the aim to sensitize the entire community in a peaceful way by showing that the electioneering is done not only putting up hundreds of posters but also simply, improving urban spaces. We already talked about the environmental impact of election campaigns and Giuseppe Cellie, the organizer of Brindisi action, confirms us that «the guerrilla gardening initiative is part of the best practices designed by the “Factory of Nichi” (Nichi Vendola, President of Puglia Region –ndr-). The idea is to practise acts contrary to those that are usually done in politics and, in particular, that a candidate makes. We sharply juxtapose, for example, who in these days is already smearing our cities with illegal election posters. We propose a campaign that not only is environmentally friendly and respectful of people, but which may also become useful to society like, for example, retained the beds».

But the desire of green also pervades the workplace. Sue Beesley, English, 25 years of service in the IT industry, designed “garden office”, a sort of gardening like a method to work better, more in harmony with their colleagues. The initiative was welcomed by a growing number of managers, especially because it seems to make individuals more productive. In the terraces of the offices, often colonized by smokers, the expert recommends colourful flowers and fragrant shrubs such as lavender and rosemary. In addition to be a sensory pleasure, the garden company brings benefits more than positive: many workers, in fact, in order to be able to grow their piece of land, arrive even in advance in the workplace. And consider also that the fruits offered by the garden can be used in canteens.

So, if you have a green thumb or, conversely, your house looks like a jungle, you can donate some of your plants getting in touch with the group of guerrillas or with the closest office to your area. More...

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Think about nuclear power now, or get a nuclear lifestyle

by Silvia Musso

Will we be forced to get a “nuclear lifestyle”? Our present decisions –including electoral ones- can make the difference.
This is the philosophy of the Italian national campaign named “Nuclear Lifestyle” and launched by Greenpeace Italia on the website www.nuclearlifestyle.it: «How could your life change having a nuclear plant near your home? If you don’t want to discover it, ask regional candidates to say NO to nuclear power! The Italian Government is trying to impose the location of the plants, overwhelming the competences of the Regions: for this reason, 13 Regions have appealed to Constitutional Court. Did you ever think about what can happen whether the future President of you Region will agree to the return to nuclear power?».
The website –based on black and yellow, the colors that usually are linked together with the danger of radioactive contamination- is divided into some different sections.
The main one contains the petition, to be signed on-line, to ask candidates to commit themselves against nuclear power: a real-time counter shows how many people have already signed, while the names of “VIP” signatories scroll in a bar below.
Then, there are some records about “nuclear candidates”, the pro-atomic power politicians running for a seat of regional Governor. By clicking on the Regions, you get the profile and some quoted statements of those lined up with national Government on this issue.
Furthermore the site contains two more ironical areas: the “nuclear game”, a quiz to test your knowledge about atomic power, and the “nuclear shop”, where to buy virtually some possible gadgets to adapt to the nuclear lifestyle: the false pill that (doesn’t) protects from radiations, the glasses that “hide the effects of contamination” to whom is wearing them, the radioactive coffee and the All Nuclear Star shoes, to be used in case of accident… to run away!
«This website’s target is to get the active participation of its users: to our cyber-activists we don’t ask just to sign the petition, but to spread it among friend and contacts, to share informative materials, videos and pictures throughout the social networks», says Maria Carla Giugliano, member of Greenpeace Italia’s Communication Department.

This campaign has clear and concise contents, stalking on an hypothetical “atomic” future to hit and involve the audience. Was it a choice to provocate?
«You can get web-surfers involved only using immediate contents, not filling a site with loads of information. How to present, so, a critical issue as nuclear power without the risk of looking boring and catastrophist? How to involve without scaring? From these considerations we chose to present a life based on the so-called “nuclear lifestyle”. We projected radioactive gadgets: a nuclear-citizen starts its day with a radioactive coffee, wears Nuclear All Stars shoes, gets its daily dose of nuclear pills and goes to pay a very high energethic bill, because of the high costs of nuclear power».

Is the on-line petition a valid instrument to involve internet surfers? To have a real action to do and share is a powerful tool to spread the campaign?
«Yes: we got more than 47k signatures in less than two weeks. This petition is useful to make pressure on the candidates: against a Government that continues to impose its choices, the only way we can follow is the opposition of Regional authorities.
Greenpeace bets strongly on new media to campaign in innovative ways and to get more participation into our activities».

How do you contextualize this specific on-line campaign within all your anti-nuclear activities?
«Our communicative strategy is aimed at integrating traditional and new media, making specific contents for each one. Nuclearlifestyle.it wants to give visibility on the web to our anti-nuclear campaign; while simultaneously we continue keeping the attention on this issue using our classic instruments, such as scientific reports and activities in the streets». More...

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Bloggers become a chain for renewable energies

by Letizia Palmisano

Since 10th February in Italy a chain of bloggers has been developing to defend the deductions for renewable energies. Growing phenomenon born about one year ago by the will of a group of people who met or it’s better to say, got caught into a net of common interests.

«The first chain of ecologist blogs was born in Lombardia Region (but thank to the lack of borders of the web people from al lover Italy joined ndr) against a murdering-parks law then retired», Roberto Codazzi, nickname Kuda, the one who keeps the ties of the chain, explains. «Following that positive experience we tried to launch it againg about the topic of anti-crisis ordinance of December, famous for the VAT cut to TV channel, but that in reality foresaw a way to boycott the deductions system in favour of operations for energetic efficiency».

The chain is “simple”: a topic is introduced and all joining people, updating, banners are published. In this way many people, associations etc., called with the name of their blogs, met, and knew each others. Between information and petition, these chains made possible that a series of information, just touched on by few media, got a wider echo and they could involved a bigger number of people than the only supporting signature.

«To that chain (about the anti-crisis ordinance of 2008, ndr) more than 120 blogs joined». Kuda continues to explain. «And that time we won. Since that time when there are some important legislative decisions many blogs are engaged to put the public attention on environmental topics».

Currently with the risk that the deductions for renewable energies for the present and the future, become just a memory of the past, bloggers are in action again. The rush started from the “virtual meetings” on Facebook, other point of aggregation and spreading, and now the supporting cause has overcome 5700 assents.

«The new chain takes again our original goal – Kuda claims – to preserve the deductions of 55% because into the last years we have realised they are the best system to stimulate the energy saving and the economic field of restructuring also against moonlighting. Deductions are risking to disappear by the end of the year. For this reason an amendment has been addressed to the decree that asks its extension until the 2012. We are asking senators to approve it». More...

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Super-heroes for renewable energies

by Francesco Rasero

Four super-heroes named Geotermo, PanSilicio, PalaSoffio and Turbidra challenge DarkFossil the terrible: here you are the “Illuminati” (The Enlighteneds) , champions of renewable energies.
These four characters have been chosen as testimonials by “M’illumino di meno”, an Italian nation-wide campaign to promote energy saving and the use of non-fossil sources. Each one has its own characteristics: Geotermo uses geo-thermal power coming from the depth of the Earth to fight DarkFossil; PanSilicio, with its solar panel, can store up huge quantities of energy to strike its Enemy; PalaSoffio uses its aeolian baldes to make a powerful blast; Turbidra, with its pression, defeats DarkFossil.

The “Illuminati” have been invented by Gianfranco Enrietto, known as Henry, famous for having designed the “Gormiti”, small warrior figures suddenly become a cult among youngest and role-game players.
Unlike them, the “Illuminati” have not been projected to become plastic figures to be sold and shared among collectors, but make their fight on the web only.
How did you get the idea of these characters?
«The “Illuminati” were born when I visited the studios of Caterpillar, the radio show who launched “M’illumino di meno” and that I support as fan since many years. I suggested to design a testimonial for the renewable energies; they replied asking for 4 characters, one for every “area"»..

Do you think that role-play characters, as the Gormiti, can transform into environmental testimonials? Their language can be used to send unconventional messages about sustainability to young generations?
«The Gormiti already have an ecological message, taking their strength from natural elements. Furthermore, since two years, we’re developing a tv cartoon about Gormiti, in which the ecological message is still more explicit: every problem on their planet, named Gorm, is revealed by a cataclysm or a devastation for the ecosystem, and the four “Lords of Nature” have to roll up their sleeves to put things in order again. Nothing different from what we could do ourselves: the difference is that the Lords of Gorm are four metres tall and break the mountains by hand, while for us it’s enough to change lightbulbs, to switch off the light, to save water and using less our car!». More...

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From the "energy silence" to the clean energy party

by Eleonora Anello

On Friday, February 12th will be the day of “M'illumino di meno” (I will use less light) the Italian energy consumption awareness campaign, launched by Caterpillar’s deejay, the radio programme on air on Radio 2, Massimo Cirri and Filippo Solibello, members of the Scientific Committee of AICA (International Association for Environmental Communication). Now in its sixth edition, the simultaneous shutdown of the lights, the Italian version of the Earth Hour, has become an annual event that does not miss it and that fascinates families, institutions, enterprises and associations.

The 2010 campaign has big news. That began on January 4th and this year will not be enough to turn off the light. In fact, according to organizers, the Italians have now learned to save energy or at least to reduce waste in their consumption. Gained this sensitivity, the participants are now asking something more and, at the contrary to what the title of the initiative may suggest, all are invited to turn on the lights! Lights, however, that are fed with new energies, clean and renewable.
Will this change in strategy to involve people equally? Will succeed the campaign, its name, its popularity, and its excellent results, in changing habits and to convert to new and less tainted sources? And, mostly, is it easy to produce and use clean energy in Italy?

Certainly the occasion will be the right way to turn the spotlight on who has long committed to producing clean energy. And, the purpose of the torch photovoltaic of M'illumino di meno, is this: across the nation to bear witness and to give light and visibility to the initiatives of those who already uses renewable energy. The operation, titled "The torch on Rome" aims to raise awareness about the consequences of indiscriminate consumption and to prepare the ground, to the principal event on February 12th, when the torch is expected to Rome for a choreography of clean light at the Mercati Traianei and a concert that will close to zero impact the campaign.

Meanwhile, the initiatives are multiplying throughout the country. Fun and folklore are insured. Associations, institutions but also individual citizens are organizing all sorts of events: panel discussions, meetings with the schools, restaurants, swimming pools and gyms candlelight. The Banda Osiris is the author of the hymn that is taught in some schools of children by “lit teachers”. And, also for the children, the designer of Gormiti, Gianfranco Enrietto, were born the “Illuminati”, the team of superheroes that represent renewable energy and fighting against the “NemikoFossile”.

The message is multiplying exponentially due largely to webcarter, the listeners of Caterpillar that are active in the network, particularly on blogs and social networks. On Facebook fanpage event there are currently about 20,800 fans set to grow. Will the webcarter be able to turn off their computer? More...

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You wanted the tree: cycle!

by Eleonora Anello

4 hours a day, only in the late afternoon. Then the lighting of the Christmas tree that is located in the City Hall Square in Copenhagen, renamed on the occasion of COP-15, "Hopenagen Live", will be entrusted to the goodwill of all those who would turn on the lights, pedaling. In the city that boasts over 350 km of cycle paths, this year the tree will be lit by human energy. The establishment of the eco-tree is part of Hopenhagen, the "open source" communication campaign promoted by the UN that accompanies the Conference on climate. A webcam allows you to admire it throughout the world.

The “pedal tree” is a must for Christmas 2009 but it is not new. Last year in Barcelona and London the first models appeared. In Placa del Mercat Santa Catarina, the decorated tree with LED lights, which provides a great energy saving, advertised the Bicing, the system of bike sharing of the Catalan capital, using its bikes. In London, the Tate Britain Art Museum, commissiones an eco-tree each year. The 2009 one has a wooden structure and is decorated with recycled materials. 8 bicycles of various sizes, allow also a younger audience to be involved.

And December 5th, 2009, the day when the high speed railway line crossed for the first time Bologna, in the Piazza del Nettuno, the Mayor Flavio Delbono rode one of the used bikes around the “Tree of re-cycling" and, pedaling, he lit the Christmas lights together with other personalities, such as Cesare Cremonini (famous Italian singer), Susy Blady and Patrizio Roversi (tv characters), Nicoletta Mantovani, wife of Luciano Pavarotti, assessor for cultural promotion of the city. On Internet you can monitor the energy produced by bicycles in real time. «On this page every bike has a name», explains Francesca Lenzi, creator of the project, with Mario Nanni, and president of the Cooperative Le-Ali on charge of the initiative, «and each name refers to a model of light produced by Viabizzuno, one of the sponsors. Thanks to the wireless network we can transmit the data on the amount of energy produced by each half and their total. For us it’s essential that the individual understands how much energy can be produced in an environmentally responsible way. This transfer of information wants to be the most concrete and tangible possible».
After the Christmas period, the bikes will be transferred to the "Parco Cavaioni" in the middle of a recovery, the first and unique Italian experience where people are self-assessed to redevelop an area of their city. Vehicles will produce the energy required for night lighting of the green area. The fir will instead firewood while the plastic decorations will become warm sweaters that will be donated to needy children.

Milan also has been busy. Until the Epiphany in Piazza Cairoli the Eco Christmas will be illuminated. It is a Christmas installation whose 100 meters in multicoloured LED lights are powered by 9 BikeMi bicycles, the bike-sharing of the city.

Pedal Trees represent a practical way of raising awareness on environmental issues and, specifically, on the alternative energy, while promoting socialization and, most importantly, physical activity that, in view of the Christmas binges, can only do well. More...

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Strategies for greener cities

by Alessio Sciurpa

Yesterday presented in Turin the new campaign AMIAT “Buttalo Giusto” (Throw it right), designed to address the bad habit of dropping rubbish on public land.
The campaign has declined on several media: billboards for the four subjects, representing different types of waste, for a simple message and direct.
Ambient marketing action on 7 and 8 November, where a structure of over six meters in height, located in the central Piazza San Carlo, will create the opportunity for direct contact between Amiat operators and citizenship (information materials and gadgets distribution). A website devoted to the campaign where the user can, through simple and intuitive icons, find answers to their doubts about waste and useful information.
In support of the initiative has also been made two videos, which disclaim the same message through a eighties graph storyboard the first and a stop motion the second, already updated few days ago on You Tube.
One of these videos will also be downloadable on smart phone through a special code on the back of the cards distributed in Piazza Castello. It will be enough to bring the device to the code on the card to download to your handheld Internet link of the video.

"The campaign “Buttalo Giusto” - said the Amiat Head of Communications Roberto Bergandi - is a communication action targeted to engage the target broad and diverse to which we work, using both traditional channels of communication already tested by the company and media more refined and technologically advanced".
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Historic appeal of the Roman statues

by Eleonora Anello

The statues of Rome back to talk. The Emperor Augustus, Julius Caesar, Giordano Bruno and Garibaldi are turning to the Italian Prime, Silvio Berlusconi, and launch their warning: «Silvio, do not be stupid. Save the Climate».

Realize the Michelangelo’s dream the Greenpeace Italy’s campaign in these days that has animated the streets of Rome placed next to the statues of showy balloon. While using testimonials of great reputation, the operation has definitely low cost and relies surprise effect it provides to the passers, especially taking advantage of the visibility and the beauty of artistic heritage, image but also symbol.
Besides, who would be able to question the words of Giordano Bruno when he says: «Berlusconi did not deny the science: save the climate». The campaign has also been well studied because each message was rolling on the personality and the historical journey of the character. Not by chance, in fact, Garibaldi says «Berlusconi, save the climate here or we die!», while Julius Caesar hoped to avoid the shoot out other stabbings.

The messages were installed ahead of the Brussels European Council held on 29 and 30 October, where it seems that Europe has found a compromise on the issue of funding to combat global warming, a common proposal to be presented in Copenhagen. Greenpeace has thus asked the Italian government to undertake that action is taken to contain global warming. Not being certain that the Italian Prime Minister and the other European leaders dwell to admire the statues, the association has backed up the action a formal letter.

But to make the statues “talking” is not new. Already in the sixteenth century, the Romans used the statues to express satirical popular discontent against the politicians and the Church. After a period of pause, the statues are back to storyteller in the nineteenth century, during the visit of Hitler and later Gorbaciov. The propaganda operations were then spread elsewhere. On the night of June 21, 2001, the “Tute Bianche” have reported the statues of Bologna to their old functions, or warning, launching appeals against the G8 was to be held soon in Genoa. In April 2008, the statues have not only talked, in Berlin, they wore the bikini in action against nudism, while in Turin, Padua, Palermo and in other cities, have to wear anti-smog masks hands of different movements such Traffic Kills and environmental associations like Terra! and Legambiente.

The blitz of Greenpeace seems to have had its effect, it was bounced across all media. More...

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Tck tck tck. It's countdown.

by Eleonora Anello

December 7th, 2009 is approaching. Eyes on the international meeting in which, hopefully, all countries sign the agreement currently on the table in terms of climate changes. Although the hypothesis seems unlikely, the Global Humanitarian Forum has launched the campaign "Tck tck tkc" to organize the mass of public support that will be pressing on participants.
The international organization, founded in 2007 and led by the ex-secretary general of the United Nations Kofi Annan, is coordinating the public to raise awareness about the devastating effects caused by global warming and increased support to vulnerable populations that will be most affected by these changes.

The promoters define Tck tck tck, an unprecedented global alliance with the ambitious aim to the United Nations Convention resulted in a "fair and binding" agreement.
The civil society is thus organized into a movement made up of individuals and associations not only ecologists, as WWF and Greenpeace, as well as humanitarian like the Red Cross and Amnesty International, religious (World Council of Church) and representatives of the arts and the entertainment, as “The age of stupid”, to join forces and do lobbying on the politicians.

The accessions to the campaign are collected on the site, the core of the promotion where you can not only download the material to spread independently the action (banners, logos but also the graphics to add to its electronic signature), but also creatively through his own style. You can also see the many viral movie, listen and download the song "Beds are burning", which lend their voices famous artists as Lily Allen, Youssou N'Dour, the Duran Duran, the Scorpions and many others.
But Internet is not the only means used for promotion. Kofi Annan has recently written to 100 world leaders to encourage them to participate in the campaign, asking them to put the issue of climate change on the political agenda. The same message will be delivered to 100 business leaders in the territories administered by them, inviting them, in turn, to write a further 100 trading partners, creating a real chain letter!

Between all the video material, we highlight "It's time to act on climate change", by Oxfam. The narrative tends to evoke in the target audience, whether general, a strong sense of anxiety and fear put it across the vision of natural disasters, which, however, are too distant from the common perception of climate changes. The selected images are of impact, the style blends with the peculiarities of the campaign but, however, are prevedibles.
To what extent the "threat" may affect the individual? The fear can persuade to the action, or end up suffocating it? The number of accessions present on the site, it seems that Oxfam has determined its good ingredient. Seems Oxfam has measured good its ingredient given the number of accessions present on the site.
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Fun viral marketing

by Eleonora Anello

Half experiment half viral campaign. The fun can be an effective deterrent to change people's attitudes? If simply by climbing a ladder you can compose music, or if a garbage can produce funny sounds, would be more likely that people will stop using the escalators and leaving waste on the street? According to Volkswagen, yes. With that in mind the carmaker launched "The funtheory", a new viral marketing campaign starting in June 2009 in Sweden and now expanding globally.
The initiative seems to refer to the work of Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein titled "Nudge. Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth and Happiness". According to this two authors, in order to direct people towards a particular choice in any field, from waste disposal practices of good citizenship, you need a "sting", an aid. And Volkswagen’s viral movies are so a good example of this new theory that they’re mentioned in Nudge's blog.

In a market where competition is becoming fiercer, and traditional commercials are snubbed by the public, to promote the new VW with eco-system BlueMotionTechnologies a more innovative and apparently successful way was finally choosen . The video "Piano stairs" in fact has been viewed more than 2.5 million times on YouTube and is part of a much larger viral marketing project than continue with an increasing involvement of consumers, called to produce similar videos before November 15. The winner will receive a prize of 2,500 €.

The theory works: it is in fact an increase of 66% of people preferred to climb the "Stairs piano" rather than being passively transported with a higher consumption of electricity by the comfortable but boring escalators. Furthermore, in a single day the trash "sound" has collected 72 kg of waste, 41 more than the daily average.
The leadership of Volkswagen say they want to make the world a better and more fun place to live and the site was created to support the initiative, promising to publish further demonstrations in support of their argument. Once the mechanism was triggered curiosity, "buzz" and anticipation surrounding the publication of the movies arises, in fact the channel has already announced the release of other "experiments". And in these days is online the highly anticipated "Bottle Bank arcade machine", a funny way to sort waste. But the next step will be so automatic? The consumer will associate the fun to the driving a Volkswagen? Or its focus will remain on sharing of videos with friends?
Again, this theory is really as effective in determining the actions of individuals as to suggest a new way of manipulating the masses without even instruct them because of the changes required? If so it would be worrying, or we must abandon this paranoid obsession and understand the nudge as a powerful tool for rethinking our habits and abandon ourselves to a new way of life that make us live better relations with our fellow humans and the environment?
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What can one blog do to change the world?

by Alessio Sciurpa

What can one blog do to change the world? Is the question asked by the organizers of Blog Action Day 2009.

The answer: not much, but fortunately there are many blogs!

Precisely for this Blog Action Day 2009 invites all the blogs on the planet to join the mobilization of a day, today 15th of October, in which all the bloggers posting on the same theme. This year's theme is climate change. Focusing on global warming "just as our leaders prepare to meet in Copenhagen [...] to agree on permanent solutions to this emergency," says the promoter Robin Beck of change.org.

Blog Action Day is an annual event that unites the whole world Blogger to post the same day a post on the same subject with the purpose of bringing attention to an issue of global importance. BAD 2009 will be the largest-ever social change event on the web. Anyone can make their views known, may join bloggers from every corner of the planet, launching discussions on the theme of climate change.

Three simple steps to join the initiative: register, promote, take action. And then post on climate change or issues related to it, such as renewable energy, impact on the future of our children or direct experiences. Or, again, the relationship between environment and economy. The slogan of the initiative is "One day. One problem, thousands of voices. "

A substantial 2.0 communication mode, which invites the visitor signs up to promote the event on the major platforms, twitter, facebook for example, and through periodic reminder. When registering, you can already express their preference for the theme of 2010. To choose the theme of the environment, thousands of people who have voted. The initiative works, as demonstrates that the members have gone in one night from 6936 Blogs from 135 different countries, to 8054 and 143 countries, when we post it. Including: Google and Mashable, Autoblog and TMZ, NGOs like Greenpeace and WWF and Mediapartners as Current. But individuals also.

We couldn't not join in!
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Shopper? No thanks!

by Eleonora Anello

Did you know that there is a growing corner of the Pacific Ocean in which floats a real landfill composed mostly of plastic? To raise awareness and deal with this problem that affects mainly the marine ecosystem, MCS (Marine Conservation Society), a British non-profit association, and movement "Plastic bag free cities", consisting of 140 British towns completely shopper free, havelaunched on 12 September, the first "Plastic bag free day".

The first international day without plastic bag will be the right opportunity when it will be important not to accept shoppers, but it will be even more important to ensure that always carry a bag to the following become a healthy and beautiful practise.

In Italy promotes and supports the initiative "Porta la Sporta” (Carries the bag), the campaign promoted by the Comuni Virtuosi (Virtuous Commons) of which we had already spoken in a previous post. And in order to become the day a real success, organizers rely of word of mouth, a powerful tool for viral marketing, which is giving rise to various events throughout the territory and appears to be the strategic key of a change that could revolutionize the mores of society by helping the environment.

Specifically Porta la Sporta, like British promoting organizations, has planned a classic campaign that starts from the web, pervasive media, democratic and that allow a large number of people instantaneously and cheaply. It retrieves online all the material to spread the initiative in an extensive and comprehensive way at the same time. Not just putting up posters in strategic locations to inform and to involve citizens, but also press releases ready for use to contact local media and local governments that both can do so much for a successful event. These devices make an ordinary citizen becoming a real professional ecoactivist.

Positive the expectations of Silvia Ricci, organizer of the campaign: «As stated in the claim of the international movement "We are what we do". Single positive actions undertaken by so many people amounted can reach large numbers and generate great changes».

Saturday shoppers will be an opportunity for all of us to reduce our addiction from plastic shopping bags on behalf of more durable and trendy shoppers!
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WWF invites you to put your face on

by Alessio Sciurpa

WWF for the G8 in Italy that begins today, invites you to put your face on a poster to recall to the eight leaders that the fight against climate change must be high on their agendas, national and international. Through an advertising spot broadcast on the net launched its "Face the G8" campaign, where through simple steps everyone can convey their message, giving a face (his own) to its expectations. All posters will be collected on Flickr and will be displayed before the eight leader.
But WWF do it more. To stimulating public attention through a campaign with a strong participatory nature, nice, even if not as original idea, has just release the "G8 Climate Scorecard”, which measures the performance of the G8 countries to the fight against climate change comparing three groups of indicators: improvements since 1990, current status, and policies for the future. We thus discover that Canada with 24 tCO2 / eq per capita, second only to the United States (26 tCO2 / eq per capita) fell to last place, thanks to the policies undertaken by the Obama’s Government. Only three of eight achieve adequate performance: France, Germany and the UK are better than others, but even they are not giving a contribution to keep the rise in global average temperature below 2 ° C above preindustrial era.
The campaign is linked in the major social network. What are you waiting for? Put your face on?
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Grease to Greece 2009: ecological Odyssey

by Eleonora Anello

Departure from the UK and arrive in Greece, but with cars fuelled with exhausted oils only, through an informal network of "filling stations" of fired wastes, from fast food to Chinese restaurants or kebab shops.
This is "Grease to Greece 2009”, second edition of a mad "rush"for cars where the matter is not going fast but to produce low emissions by using low doses of fossil fuel. To determine the winner, it will not be assessed in the ranking the order of arrival in Athens but the ecological footprint produced by the participants.

The creator of the competition is the engineer Andy Pag 35, years old, of London, who in 2007 has gone from Croydon (United Kingdom) to Timbuktu (Mali) crossing the Sahara desert with a truck fueled by chocolate (or, rather, derived from the waste of his production, over 2,000 liters of fuel extracted from four tons of waste factory, starting cocoa butter oil).

This year too, as it has already happened in the edition launch in 2008, the rally aims to attract curious who will approach to new ways of moving, alternatives ways to make the car move in a more ecological and also saving money. A nice and practical way to carry a clear message: "Give grease a chance", namely that prove that cars can go on not only by using oil and that unlike ethanol and other biofuels controversy, the recycled cooking grease is less impact on the planet.
The objective of this campaign out of the schemes is to give impetus to a retail network of kitchen waste that would otherwise end up in landfills or at sea. Grease to Greece wants to engage in a lasting traders that contribute to the project with the donation of their residues, raising a new awareness about the possible alternative uses of their waste production.

The eco-friendly travel is also a convenient way to communicate. A campaign that unites the desire to travel, sustainable tourism and competitive sport in which the pillars of traditional marketing are reversed: the ideas meet the medium and not contrary.
It is used primarily the buzz effect. It triggers a chatter that spreads by itself. A “campaign” that doesn’t want to be monologue but who wants to animate dialogue with those who met their target. The effect is also viral. Once that the user is "engaged", that is involved in first person, it has become a supporter and are active to spread the initiative in an informal and, therefore, more credible because it hasn’t a direct interest but to live in a world that is more attentive to the environment.

In 2008 edition of "Grease to Greece Rally", crews have traveled 2500 miles (4023 kilometers) to Athens, where the British ambassador has gived a prize to winners with the Golden Lard Award.
Who will be the winner of 2009?
Registration are still open: to join it takes a team , a diesel car, a few weeks of holidays ... and so much fat cooking.

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Social guerrilla, viral warning and super hero

by Alessio Sciurpa

Climate terrorists and common super hero, we have selected, two of the videos produced by Oxfam GB to YouTube & Cannes Young Lions Contest 2009. Both represent good examples, among many, of how to convey the theme of climate change through conventional and unconventional actions.

Oxfam International is a confederation of 13 like-minded organizations working together and with partners and allies around the world to bring about lasting change, in an attempt to combat poverty, injustice and protect the environment. More...

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