Earth Hour: Developing a Public Relations Communication Strategy

This report provides a public relations communication strategy for Earth Hour, a global movement by the World Wide Fund (WWF) encouraging people to switch off lights for an hour to save nature and combat climate change. It identifies communication objectives, target audiences (18-65 year olds active on social media), and suggests tactics to address communication problems, such as over-reliance on digital platforms. The report emphasizes the importance of in-person workshops and activities to engage the audience and reduce electrical energy consumption. Measurement techniques include tracking audience responses, increased participation, lead generation, and market research to assess campaign awareness and interest. It concludes that audience involvement is crucial for the success of Earth Hour, recommending feedback mechanisms to improve campaign organization and meet objectives effectively.

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Executive Summary
Earth hour is the movement started by World Wide Fund, Australia, in 2007 which is a
collective action for protecting nature by switching off lights for an hour. It is a global
movement. It is an event which asks millions of people from around the world to switch off
lights for an hour to save nature and climate change. The World Wide Fund is an
international organization which is dedicated to the preservation of nature and minimizing the
human effect on nature.

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Contents
Communication Objectives.....................................................................................................3
Target Audience..................................................................................................................... 3
Suggested Tactics to Target Audience to Address Communication Problem.........................4
Measurement Techniques......................................................................................................4
Conclusion............................................................................................................................. 4
References............................................................................................................................. 6

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Communication Objectives
The communication forms an integral part of any global movement for the
organization to communicate the benefits and motivate people regarding the movement.
Earth Hour has also engaged in all forms of social media initiatives to reach its target
audience. It has used these platforms to inform its audience that they are an integral part of
the movement. But by engaging in this form of communication medium, it has raised a
question on its own objective of minimizing the wastage of electrical energy in any form
(Sison, 2013). Since the digital platform uses the maximum amount of electrical energy to
connect with its audience. It is also important to note that the communication is a two-way
process and it is also important to get feedback from your audiences so that it is easier to
know that the message has reached in the way it was meant to be taken (Olexsak & Meier,
2014). It is equally important to organize workshops and events for audiences in person for
them to know about the initiatives and for them to interact too at the same place.
Target Audience
The target audience comprises of people of Australia who belong to the age group of
18 to 65 years, who can have an impact on policymakers for climate and nature. It can be
said that the interest level in the age group between 18 to 65 is higher as these people are
more active on social media and use social group and office newsletter. They are college
goers, young executives and old office goers, who are active on the issues related to climate
change (Gnaneswaran, 2019). The communication strategy has to be effective for these
target audience to understand the objectives of the Earth Hour.
Audience
s
Visual Poster Characteristic
s Profile
Best
Media to
Use to
Reach this
Audience
What do
we want
this
audience
to KNOW,
THINK,
FEEL, and
DO
What key
messages
do we
need
18- 25
years
Young college
goers, or out
from college
entering the
job market.
Twitter,
Facebook,
College
Fest,
Workshops
To be
aware of
the climate
and
environme
nt changes
and take
initiative
To protect
the Earth
and
contribute
by reducing
the usage
of electrical
energy
26-40
years
Office goers,
established
professionals
Social
media,
pamphlets,
using
events with
short
messages
To be
aware of
the impact
of their
activities
on the
nature and
how can
they
contribute
Their role in
the society
in
motivating
their
subordinate
s to work
towards a
greener and
better

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to it. tomorrow
40-65
years
Matured and
retired
professionals
and senior
citizens
Newsletter
s, social
platform,
web pages
To let them
know how
being a
senior
citizen can
help them
motivate
the
younger
generation
s around
them to
take care
of the
nature
To organize
events in
the
societies
and through
social
gatherings
which
motivate
people to
leave a
better world
for future
generation
Suggested Tactics to Target Audience to Address Communication
Problem
The Earth Hour is undergoing the issues of communication within the organization
which makes it difficult for them to communicate with people externally and motivate them to
join the movement. The strategy to target the audience is that social media limits the way to
try to reach most of your audience. As we cannot see immediate reactions from them and
talk to them in person. It is therefore important for the Earth Hour to meet their own objective
of limiting or reducing to the minimal the use of electrical energy combustion. This can be
done by reducing the use of social media and starting to reach out to their targeted audience
in person to communicate their objectives and involve them through activities and
workshops. They need to define a tad for every little activity that they organize for the public.
They need to reward their audiences for taking up initiatives to make a better environment.
The audiences need to be told how their contribution matters for saving and securing an
energy efficient future (Ärlemalm-Hagsér, 2013). What can they do to make it a better world
for their future generations? Therefore, feedback of the audiences is also essential to make
the organization know that they are moving in the right direction and the audiences have
comprehended their objectives and motives in the right way (Jechow, 2019).
Measurement Techniques
It is also important to review the success of the strategy implied in the public relations
strategy. This can be done through the increase in the responses and feedback from the
audiences. It can also be measured by the number of people who are associating
themselves with the movement. The number of leads that are being produced and
measuring the increase in the larger target base. The market research needs to be done as
to how aware people have become about the campaign and how much interest is being
developed by them in such initiatives (Worley, 2016).

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Conclusion
Earth Hour is the most important event relating to
electrical energy savings and protecting the environment. It has the strength to motivate the
masses to stand united in such a cause. Therefore, the audience plays an important role in
the success of such an event. It is important to involve the target audience and ask them
how in a better way such campaigns can be organized worldwide and what are the demands
regarding this. It becomes easier to frame objectives and meet the objectives because at the
end masses are the beneficiaries and also an integral part of the movement.

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References
Ärlemalm-Hagsér, E. (2013). Minds on Earth Hour – a theme for sustainability in Swedish
early childhood education. Early Child Development And Care, 183(12), 1782-1795.
Gnaneswaran, A. (2019). How Does The Earth Hour Brand Engage With Customers In A
Meaningful Way? | Forward Leading. Retrieved from
https://forwardleading.co.uk/blog/Six-Questions-with-the-Head-ofBrand-at-WWF
Jechow, A. (2019). Observing the Impact of WWF Earth Hour on Urban Light Pollution: A
Case Study in Berlin 2018 Using Differential Photometry. Sustainability, 11(3), 750.
Olexsak, S., & Meier, A. (2014). The electricity impacts of Earth Hour: An international
comparative analysis of energy-saving behavior. Energy Research & Social Science, 2,
159-182.
Sison, M. (2013). Creative Strategic Communications: A Case Study of Earth
Hour. International Journal Of Strategic Communication, 7(4), 227-240.
Worley, W. (2016). What is Earth Hour and why is it so important? (Hint: it has something to
do with climate change). Retrieved from
https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/earth-hour-what-is-it-and-
why-is-it-so-important-a6938611.html