The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has produced some outstanding radio, print and television PSA's (public service announcements) over the years. These forms of communication often are subtle because they are, by nature, intrusive. Here's a link to one of their most current PSA commercials (click on image):
The imagery is eye-catching and the message is simple (and it borrows from one of my favorite songwriters, Joni Mitchell). Some might argue over the effectiveness of the "soft" approach because with each day ecological and environmental issues become more critical, but it is one piece of a strategy, one weapon in their arsenal of tools to enlighten people.
I was listening to a political commentary show and the panelists were discussing the politics of fear and if and where it can be effective. The consensus was that it can lack effectiveness when addressing big picture/long term issues; it can come off sounding like Chicken Little screaming that the sky is falling. People often have difficulty thinking in terms of the big picture and they will tune out or close down to warnings of cataclysmic futures because it is something to which they can't easily relate. It's so dire they would rather hide under a rock and live with the status quo than deal with it.
That's where the softer approach can have value, wedging open the door of long-term thinking just a little - whether its politics or conservation. Immediate and personal issues might require a stronger clarion and together, with messages like the one WWF puts forth in the PSA above, perhaps we can move the audience to react to immediate issues of concern while also expanding their minds to more expansive or greater long-term solutions.
Every little bit helps.
I'm sure that all of the readers of this blog are aware of the threats polar bears are facing with the decline of arctic sea ice. The Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) has pressed the issue not only through legal and decision-making channels but also through the media.
Much attention is being placed nowadays on "new media" which includes avenues like blogs and other social media and online sites. They are certainly coming into their own, but good public relations strategy incorporates all media channels - and that includes "traditional media" (believe or not, but not all people get their news and information from the Internet; I know, shocking but true).
The Center for Biological Diversity, with the help of media supporters, produced two public service announcements about polar bears for television that have, to date, reached over 90 million viewers. Here's CBD's commentary, followed by one of the two ads:
Save the polar bear? We’re doing it. Not just in court and in the papers — also in the homes of millions of people across the country. Our polar bear TV ads, showing the stark reality of warming’s effects on the bear and its habitat, have educated 90.7 million and counting, in both English and Spanish, from Alaska to New York to Arizona. Since launching, the ads have ranked 13th most popular of all public service announcements nationwide, creating the groundswell of public fervor that helped us deliver 94,000 petitions telling the Obama administration we won’t let climate change doom our polar bears, planet, and selves.You can check out both ads and learn more about what you can do by clicking here.
You can go to YouTube, Flickr, and many other video posting sites, type in "shark" and see literally thousands of video clips (some of them are even mine). Most are from home videographers wanting to share their shark diving experiences.
WildAid realizes that not everyone watches those online sites, that traditional broadcast avenues still have some clout, so they have a series of shark conservation PSAs (public service announcements) that have run worldwide. However, you can also see them grouped together online at their website.
This one, in particular, got to me. It succinctly shows the irrationality of shark fin soup - bleached of all nutritional value and flavor, the fin is really just for "show" - to the tune of at least 40 million sharks per year.
It was also encouraging to see WildAid using Asian and foreign celebrities to promote shark conservation, since most of the shark products are destined for Asian markets worldwide. Take a look.
