In This Issue
- Motivating consumers by getting personal
- Media News - updates on the ethical media environment
- DIY PR - gaining coverage in Women's magazines
- An ethical event
Motivating Consumers - Getting Personal
Do you need to extend your message beyond pure environmental messages? It may seem the case.....
Ask most people if they are concerned about the environment and the answer will be yes. According to Green Matters, a research project set up by publisher IPC media, 95% of consumers believe that care of the environment is 'everyone's reponsibility'. However, just over 40% believe that it is their personal responsibility. When it comes to lifestyle choices, the future of the planet is not consumers' priority; their purchase decisions are likely to be influenced by time and money.
IPC Green Matters Research
Retail data reveals that customers' loyalty to stores is rooted in the price, range, quality and convenience of products and services, rather than the supplier's environmental policies. For many shoppers, the latter are an added bonus; they are not essential.
So how do you reach consumer and convince then to be green? The following looks at consumers' various life stages and the factors that are likely to appeal to them:
Who? How?
Empty-nester women Challenge them with new ways on how to go green.
Empty-nester men Practical, hands-on ideas for things to do in the garden shed.
Upmarket families Style and time-saving are vital; complex messages will also work.
Mass-market families Make going green easy, with the financial benefits spelled out.
Pre-kids female Appeal to emotions and fashion sense.
Pre-kids males Focus on reinforcing the basics.
'Consumers are more likely to act if they see a personal such as using less energy to save money, or they fear getting reprimanded, such as recycling to avoid council imposed penalties,' says Russ Lidstone, chief strategy officer at Euro RSCG London.
Media News
Long lead consumer magazines are now writing Christmas pages. If you want exposure for your products in magazine gift pages, now is the time to contact them. In the DIY section of the newsletter you will find some helpful tips in dealing with women's consumer magazines.
The Telegraph is reporting that eco spending has jumped from £29million in 2005 to £52 million in 2006 according to the latest Ethical Consumerism report.
Eco Fashion : the world's a greener place
Emily Peck has become features editor at Ideal Home, amongst other areas she will be looking after the Eco pages and can be contact at - emily_peck@freelance.ipcmedia.com.
EcoIdeas are frequently looking for Eco ideas for the magazine, contact - jen@figure8media.com.
PR DIY - Gaining Coverage In Women's Magazines
Plan ahead
- Don't forget that weekly magazines will begin to research ideas about three months before the publication of an issue, and will start putting it together six to seven weeks before. Monthlies plan four or more months in advance. Submit your information in sufficient time. If you don't, another organisation will.
Read newspapers
- As a starting point it is essential that you read a range of national, regional and local papers in order to get an idea of the current trends and ideas being published.
Keep up to date
- Be aware of, and draw ideas from any national months, weeks or days that may be relevant to a particular story. Examples could be Organic Fortnight or Fairtrade Fortnight.
Mark your calendar
- You need to take account of anniversaries, not just as a direct link to a story, but equally as a hook for other stories. A national day may be a hook for raising awareness of producers from that country.
Read the magazine you want to target
- Do this so that you can target your story. For example, don't try and sell a story about children's eco toys to a magazine mainly read by single women.
Keep close to the human angle
- For the article to get printed, you need to involve personal case histories about people who are prepared to be interviewed, photographed and featured in the magazine. Make sure you have a ready supply of appropriate people, where possible matching the age range and profile of the magazine’s readership.
Get in touch with the right person
- To find out who you need to speak to, whether it's the features editor, the health editor or another relevant person, you need to read the magazine in question. If the editors' names aren't printed, don't be afraid to phone the magazine and ask for the name and phone number or email address of the person with whom you want to get in touch.
Photos
- Don't send photos by post, because they are likely to get lost. It's better to say that they will be available at request. Nowadays most photos are used from photo libraries, the exception being those used for real life stories or case studies, for which photos of the actual people involved are preferred to those posed by actors.
Pitfalls
- Be sure to consider any possible downsides of having your article published, before you submit it to a magazine. Will you be able to cope with the response? It's great seeing your telephone number in print, but do you have the means to handle phone calls from thousands of women? If your story is especially good, it may end up on the front cover. You need to ensure that any people used in case histories are both aware of and prepared for this eventuality.
Establish a contact point
- Are you the correct person to be speaking to magazines? It takes time to nurture relationships. A good contact will be able to get a feel for the needs of different magazine editors and should soon build up a rapport with them. Over time s/he can become a trusted and reliable source of stories and information.
An Ethical Event - How To Make Biodiesel
Date: Friday 29 Aug 2008 to Sunday 31 Aug 2008
Description:
Produce your own cheap, carbon-neutral diesel – no need for alterations to your engine. This course covers everything from small home-made plant, to the chemistry involved in biodiesel production; supply of used cooking oil and other chemicals; vehicle considerations; Environment Agency and VAT law; and plant design and construction using readily-available materials. There will be plenty of opportunity to ask specific questions, and to discuss your own project and those of other participants.
Venue: LILI Bucks
Contacts: Taryn 01296 714184
E-mail: taryn@lowimpact.org
Web
Goodworld Communications
We hope you found this edition of Media Matters useful. Goodworld is an ethical communications agency. It is designed to help organisations with a cause have their message heard widely through strategic communications. If you would like to discuss you communications needs, please email or call us. There will be no newsletter in August.
Sources: Marketing Magazine, Media Trust
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