Pitch
Social engineering will create the economic stimulus to modify behavior and affect workable solutions.
Description
Summary
Human economic activity has caused our environmental problems. Fiduciary duty, political lust for power and popular aversion to pain are allied against an effective climate change response and it means restructuring is happening too slowly to avert serious damage. Both issues need to be addressed.
Most people care about the environment but don’t want to pay for it. Purchasing from environmentally positive companies is a no pain, feel good decision that redirects economic (and consequentially political) systems to positive action in the pursuit of market share and profits.
Once environment equals market share corporate environmental performance will be judged (and penalized) by unrelenting public scrutiny, opposition will fade and we’ll have the ultimate carbon (and environmental) price, reduced market share and profits. It’ll be factored into all political and corporate decisions and cause capital to flow to the environmental sector. Empowering people this way creates the most immediate of early warning systems whilst economies will become far more responsive to environmental challenges.
It’s been attempted before and failed because solutions must be entertaining, trustworthy and independent with wins for the environment/everyone.
We launch via an in store trading card giveaway. Collect a set of cards and win a toy. All leads to our website where we emphasize buying from the environmentally positive will effect economic/environmental change and use our client’s samples to reward public contribution.
Students taking cards/toys to school will attract teacher curiosity and lead them to our website where curriculum themed competitions will create a, very attractive to clients, presence in schools.
The promotion is ongoing and particularly efficacious because it has something for everyone. It’s generous and leverages environmental emotions, multiple media channels and our clients’ customer base.
What actions do you propose?
It’s dangerous relying on the world’s current regimes creating an enduring climate fix. Every major social factor, fiduciary duty, political lust for power and popular aversion to pain is in opposition and history tells us when such is in alignment not much happens. In the case of climate change yes, progress has been made but far, far too slowly with opposition every step of the way.
The science is overwhelming yet still often denied, the response underwhelming. In fact the political winds are again turning hostile. CoLabs contains many fine ideas however they, in a sense, are treating symptoms of human behavior. We use social engineering to address the cause and enable an effective response.
The solution is to give everyone what they want by catering for the majority who want to feel good about the environment but don’t want to pay for it. It’s a simple pain free ask. Buy from the environmentally positive and it’s helped along by the generosity of our selected clients.
In plain terms we launch via a supermarket chain promotion which leads to our website where people can win our advertisers’ goods via their contributions or just visiting but it’s the detail that matters. Environmentally themed trading cards will be given away. Collect enough cards and win a very popular toy. It’s a proven formula that leverages client store’s customer base and leads to our website where contributors and visitors can win samples of our client’s products.
We work with existing business and human habits. For example:
Businesses have always given samples for promotional purposes.
Students always take their latest interests to school and teachers always check what their pupils are looking at. For once they’ll finds something useful, curriculum themed competitions with relevant and prestigious prizes. This will be our entry into the highly prized school advertising market.
People like to win, be recognized and rewarded for their ideas/contributions, share their joys and feel good by doing good.
We make the verifiable proposal, buy from more environmentally positive companies and change economic directions. Appealing to the dual emotions of conscience/altruism and desire/greed means more effective advertising. There’s further revenue streams via the toys that come with a socially involving daily story (creating a foothold in mobile advertising) and spin offs from the website.
All is based on Meemoes, creatures that used to be invisible till pollution got in their hair. It gives them a reason to care. Since they are the voice people hear that they think is their conscience, someone calling them or a special friend they can’t physically affect anything and must use reason and words. It’s a model for non-violent problem solving and contributors to our website will have to conform to win.
To facilitate our launch we’re building a social media presence and have already successfully trialed parts of our program in schools. We’ve also built a trial website to test some of our theories and build a clearer picture of what we want to do when we’ve funding and how to go about it.
Our model of launching via a major company giveaway will establish an instant presence in every country we enter. We will take one major client from each market sector and promote their positive acts rather than the company. This protects us from inevitable client fails.
Our model’s possibilities will be demonstrated by our first launch. Whilst the first outward sign will be the supermarket/chain store promotion, it can’t happen till a suitable group of corporate sponsors/clients exists. Indications are the allure of our schools’ program will overcome initial corporate reluctance
The major challenge is to win public trust. Previous attempts to direct purchasers have either demanded it (the Green movement) or just told the public to “trust us” (advertisers) without success. We let it grow organically by being generous with giveaways, establishing a presence in schools, entertaining via stories and toys and maintaining our integrity and independence.
We’re creating a framework for the public and, by encouraging their contribution, we’ll tap a wellspring of great ideas that we can follow. This will allow the public to take possession of the concept and multiply our effectiveness and intelligence. Directing our endorsements and choosing clients judiciously will further enhance our environmentally positive effect.
Popular involvement will offer new directions to pursue, technologies to promote and help keep us abreast of the environmental standards of our clients and their competitors. A willingness to change clients due to received information will strengthen our credentials in the eyes of the public and cause all including existing clients to lift their game.
The ongoing message of buying from the environmentally positive to value the environment will work its way into consumer consciousness. People, of course, don’t have the time to research the best firms themselves so our commendations of our clients positive acts allied with our own careful research into the best companies will be accepted as the right thing to do.
Ultimately the gentle education that’s implicit throughout our idea may have the greatest effect of all. It will touch all strata of society and with it will come the ability to recognize problems and knowledge upon which to act.
Valuing the environment is vital and our research has shown “over the top” enthusiasm for our toys and great interest amongst students for the environmental facets of the idea. The general public’s positive environmental sentiments are well documented. Teachers have indicated openness to curriculum based competitions and reward. Putting together an alliance of companies involves offering them the parts of the idea attractive to them whilst revealing the bigger possibilities.
Getting into schools is a very attractive proposition to the corporate world. Large chain stores are constantly looking for an exceptional promotion and ours offers unusual longevity allied with credible environmental reputation enhancement and a larger promotion where costs as well as benefits are shared. An outline of the concept sent to a major supermarket in Australia drew a positive phone call within an hour.
Each new market/country will have its own challenges and locals will need to be recruited to fit in with its culture. In any market we’ll need a cross-section of age, sex and race working for us. Fortunately it’s the sort of project people are very keen to be involved with whilst a canvassing of Australian politicians showed a willingness to be associated as there’s no political risk and much potential gain.
Trust isn’t given overnight and we build it organically. This will overcome the damage done by “greenwashing”. We don’t demand or expect people to just trust us. We earn it.
The public will constantly benefit via our promotions and be entertained so they’ll be inclined to look. The more who look the better the prizes so the more who’ll look so the better… A presence in schools as well as our environmental message builds creditability and we offer wins for all including the environment. Allowing the public to take possession of the idea will guarantee the trust we need to successfully attain our environmental aims.
Empowering people is important and our success is their success. Demonstrating the power of the popular voice gives hope and direction. Knowing what has to be done doesn’t mean much if you’re “just one person”. Realizing the democratic power people have will motivate them to show initiative and do the little things that make a large difference en masse.
When people find their voice a very important early warning system will exist. Those most affected will have an avenue to raise the alarm. Currently those in power will be the last affected by climate change as their position will insulate them from its immediate effects. Many of the people we will deal with have no such luxury.
Some will fear the potential disruption of this “popular voice” however it only works because there’s a unifying concern and a clear direction. Whilst a strengthening of social and societal ties can be expected the “voice” will inevitably fragment and lose its strength.
We’ve incentives for all. Our corporate clients will enjoy increased market share and an enhanced reputation. Non-clients will be motivated to improve their environmental performance by their loss of market share, public censure and the possibility we’ll adopt them as our preferred client.
The government sector will appreciate the partial relief from their inevitably unpopular burden of climate action, a good channel of communication with their electorate and reputational gain with no down side by association.
Teachers will receive incentives and recognition for work required by their curriculum.
The general public can feel virtuous whilst giving up nothing, be entertained whilst learning and creating and win our clients goods and services. They’ll have wins everywhere, feel good and be materially better off.
Most importantly, the environment will win via public education and a raised consciousness leading to more effective action. Economic/business imperatives will mean increased funding for the technologies and actions that do make a difference and the political will to implement them.
Our primal motivation has always been altruistic and the public would rapidly detect insincerity if it weren’t however there’d be little interest in our concept if it weren’t profitable. The idea wouldn’t be taken seriously and it’d be impossible to finance.
Profits are assured by the ability to motivate a substantial proportion of the world in their purchasing decisions, some extremely popular merchandise including toys and multiple other revenue streams.
Each revenue stream is self-sustaining yet reinforces the whole. All contribute to creating a whole greater than the sum of its parts with enhanced reach and the ability to touch almost all facets of society. The greater our reach, the more we’ll be able to achieve.
We have the necessary elements for success.
Logically, no matter how virtuous the message, unless it’s entertaining no one will look at it. This has been a flaw in the past.
Independence is needed. Who would trust a message from a source with an obvious self-interest?
There’s got to be wins. There’s no point buying environmental if the environment doesn’t benefit. In our case even better, everybody who gets involved wins.
Trustworthiness is vital and must be earned. The complexity of our concept is dictated by the need to win public trust and our actions are designed to and of a type that has previously won that trust.
The next step is funding. We’ve a unique combination of well understood parts requiring the development and marketing only money can buy. The moral compass and conceptual framework are defined, the requisite development in hand and awaits funding. The marketing skills easily acquired for a price.
Venture capitalists have expressed interest but are used to simpler ideas and uncomfortable with the (necessarily) many parts of the concept. We anticipate proof of corporate intent will allay their fears.
Who will take these actions?
Warwick Willcoxson is the creator, conceptualizer, developer and driving force. He studied Arts/Law/Science at Sydney University and University of NSW before time in private enterprise. He’s been in leadership positions long enough to recognize what he doesn’t know and when to ask or delegate.
Gary Tilley has received numerous prizes for his innovative Science teaching including the Prime Minister’s prize for the best teacher in Australia. He’s currently developing a national science curriculum and helping with our school programs.
Hilary Brosnihan is a graphic artist/3d modeler who’s worked in product development and management at Toys-R-Us and Hasbro.
David Archer is a software engineer/architect/website developer with a history of high-end development for government and multi-nationals.
Associates: Their continuing advice has been central to our development. They include the ex CEO of a publicly listed company, a director of a superannuation fund, a past Dean of a university faculty of Business, a Professor of Marine Biology and members of the marketing and advertising industries. Their roles will become more defined as the concept develops.
Children love the toys and are environmentally aware. Our initial promotion starts with them and they’ll convey shopping preferences and our environmental credentials to their parents.
Parents will discover our website through their children and spread the word to other adults.
The Public will achieve the desired market share = environment connection by their involvement and be rewarded with our corporate sponsor’s/advertisers goods and services.
The Corporate World will provide promotional materials and be rewarded with enhanced market share and image.
Politicians will gain by association and we expect our ability to communicate with the general populace will be of use to them. Talks with local government in Australia has confirmed this view.
Where will these actions be taken?
The problems of climate change and the environment are world wide and we’re targeting the largest market penetration possible. We can launch in any country as the necessary factors are access to mass communication and public awareness of and care about the environment. The desire to win something is common throughout the world as is the continual search within the corporate community for a marketing edge.
In Africa, for example, access to a semi smart phone would be enough to enable a modified form of our contribution and reward business model. This would be a later target as the major emitters/polluters also happen to be technologically advanced countries that all have raised environmental awareness and an expressed desire for effective action without, they hope, too much pain.
What are other key benefits?
We’ll touch all demographics and change the social consciousness. Economic activity will be redirected toward the environmentally positive and resistance will fade. Then we’ve a better chance of reaching important goals.
The public will acquire a voice that’ll be listened to. They’ll be more informed of environmental consequences and that will make future actions politically as well as economically easier. They aren’t insulated from climate effects like those in power.
Good corporate citizens will receive long overdue reward and it’ll encourage their efforts with fiduciary goals moving closer to environmentally ideal. They’ll look further into the future through environmental eyes and the rewards of positive image will incline them toward nominally less profitable activities resulting in increased systemic resilience.
The public finding its voice offers a possibility of redirection in more socially acceptable ways.
What are the proposal’s costs?
The idea will be profitable. Our major revenue streams are advertising, merchandising, education and entertainment. Each facet advances the other yet is capable of being self-sustaining and operating independently.
Establishment costs are….
Start Up Costs $US800,000
Comprising
Promotional material including Toys, Cards and Stories
131,000
Website
195,000
Marketing/Research
120,000
Accounting/Legal/Trademark/Patent
180,000
Operations and Reserve
174,000
The promotional launch will be profitable everywhere however slow client payment means substantial capital will be required to deliver. Capital requirements will be determined by the size and conditions of the target market and the success of our initial promotion will mean more favorable terms. Offsetting this we’ll need to move quickly to cover major markets before imitators move in and negate our positive effects.
Venture capitalists have expressed interest however necessity dictates we’re not as simple as they’d prefer. Successful trials have negated some of that and the expected signing of corporate clients in 2017 should overcome their other fears.
In our expansion phase we hope to borrow capital by leveraging contracts we sign however further venture capital may be needed. The success of our toys will see licensing and merchandising deals whilst the website will become a profitable advertising medium. Ongoing capital requirements and running costs will be minimal once establishment and promotional phases pass.
The freshness of our message and the necessity of our endeavours will see explosive growth and great social achievement in the first three to five years using the same business model with cultural adjustments. After that, whilst still having a useful educational function, the concept will be highly profitable but, essentially, more consumption.
It’s purpose achieved, it’ll be best to sell to the interested and free the capital for more worthwhile purpose.
Time line
The rate determining step in readying for market is the website. We expect that to take six months with all other development fitting within that window. Once a business commits to our promotion it could be up and running within three months. This is possible prior to the website’s completion however we expect clients will want to view the complete product before committing to it.
Years one to three will be a period of expansion into as many countries as possible and capital requirements will exceed revenue. Once this period is past we’ll become revenue positive and continue to explore possible revenue streams.
Coincident with this phase our endorsement of clients will be a powerful marketing tool to be used wisely and judiciously lest the public tire of us too quickly.
Our influence will extend far beyond making money. It represents a fundamental reordering of social and environmental values. That won’t be easily seen initially and the scope of our achievement will only become clear over a number of years. We expect positive environmental effects to be obvious within two to three years though there’ll be ever increasing wins as soon as we hit the market.
Related proposals
I’m not aware of any offering this approach.
References
Advertising seeks to create a movement of people with shared values - Kevin Roberts (Saatchi & Saatchi Executive chairman) The Guardian 4/3/15
Millennials want morality and ethics The Guardian 3rd May 2015 “McDonalds in Crisis”
Global Ad spending is projected to be $US537 billion in 2015 with internet
advertising to account for $US121 billion of it. $US145billion projected size of digital advertising market for 2015 Techcrunch.com Apr 7 2014
“Malcolm Turnbull has proven himself a follower… by
Ross Gittins SMH 14th December 2016
Guardian 14/12/16 Climate denier to energy secretary https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/dec/13/rick-perry-department-of-energy-trump-administration
Trump not the new normal – climate deniers everywhere https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/dec/14/the-guardian-view-on-donald-trumps-team-not-the-new-normal
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