Communications and Marketing Strategy 2016 - 2021 Cairns Water Security Strategy
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Cairns Water Security Strategy
Communications and Marketing Strategy
2016 - 2021
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Cairns Water Security Strategy - Communications and
Marketing Strategy – DM# 5014349
CONTENTS
THE TASK ……………………………………………………………………………..… 3
INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS AND
SOCIAL MARKETING RECOMMENDATIONS.…………………………….…........ 4
Desired Outcome……………………………….…….... 4
Why?……………………………................................... 8
Barriers……………………………................................ 9
Segmentation……………………………………………. 12
Desired Change……………………………................... 14
Tools…………………………………………………….... 17
Roll-out………………………………………………….... 35
APPENDICES
Appendix One – 2014 Council Survey Excerpts………..………………………….... 38
Appendix Two – Proposed Social Marketing Tools………………….…………….... 42
Appendix Three – Campaign Creative Briefs………………………………..…….... 44
Appendix Four – Proposed Methodology………………...…………………..…..…... 53
Appendix Five – Outdoor Water Use References…………….……………..…..….... 55
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Cairns Water Security Strategy - Communications and
Marketing Strategy – DM# 5014349
THE TASK
The population of Cairns is expected to increase from (approx.) 160,000 to 272,000 by 2044 and water demand in the region will exceed current system yield within three to five years
if no action is taken. As such, an effective plan for delivering ongoing water security to the region will prove crucial to its ongoing viability. The Cairns Regional Council (CRC) “Cairns
Water Security Strategy” (CWSS) addresses this need, focusing on both long- and short-term solutions for guaranteeing water security over the next 30 years. New infrastructure
designed to deliver longer-term water security has been planned and a Demand Management Strategy (DMS) with the goal of reducing per capita consumption and mitigating risk in
the short-term is being developed. Both of these commitments will benefit from an appropriate roll-out of communications designed to inform and motivate desired water conservation
behaviours amongst residents and businesses within the region.
This document presents a five-year Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) and Community Based Social Marketing (CBSM) Strategy designed to achieve greater
understanding of the issues associated with the CWSS and foster sustainable behaviour change within a demand management approach. It draws on relevant social marketing and
communications theories and includes proposed creative approaches, channels for communication and costs for taking a staged campaign to market.
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Cairns Water Security Strategy - Communications and
Marketing Strategy – DM# 5014349
SOCIAL MARKETING RECOMMENDATIONS:
We propose applying a Community Based Social Marketing (CBSM) model to addressing the CWSS. CBSM takes established social marketing theory and allows it to be applied
across all sorts of communities for community-led responses. The proposed model for incorporating this approach is outlined in Appendix Five within this document. Our
recommended approach using this framework is detailed below:
Desired Desired
Why? Barriers Segmentation Tools Roll-out
Outcome Change
Desired Outcome:
The Desired Outcome for the campaign is expressed in a single sentence and should serve as the constant reminder of what we are trying to achieve. Getting to it requires
understanding the shifts in attitudes, behaviours or approaches needed to move us, as marketers, from where we are now to where we want to be. A simple “from – to” format helps
identify the transitions we are seeking as we move towards a singular premise.
From To
Residents Communities
Mainstream campaigns to date have gravitated towards savings best achieved from Single-Family Dwelling households with considerable per capita savings being achieved across
the community. However much of the heaviest water use has been identified as coming from Multi-Family Residential Dwellings (MFR’s), businesses and tourism-related premises.
The laws of diminishing returns will begin to apply to potential savings achieved unless Council is able to find ways to expand its efforts into new areas such as the MFR and business
communities, where currently there are no specific messaging or incentives to reduce water-use indoors or out.
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Cairns Water Security Strategy - Communications and
Marketing Strategy – DM# 5014349
Annual Seasonal
The seasonality of Cairns represents an opportunity to promote new behaviours that can lead to greater savings at certain times of the year. We will look to leverage the change in
seasons for new information, new messages and new types for savings.
Reticulated Recycled
To date the use of new technologies such as recycled water has been limited primarily to Council pursuits. Yet the potential for savings, particularly with the region’s heaviest water
users, is significant if Council can make a technology shift economically viable. In addition to the opportunity provided by appropriately priced recycled water outdoors, new
technologies introduced into old premises via retrofits and/or rebates offer the potential for more savings and would further demonstrate council’s commitment to help the region save
as much water as possible.
Self-interest Best Interests
To date tourism, business and MFR’s have largely been unaffected and untargeted by marketing efforts. As such it would be easy for them to have been acting only in their self-
interest. Now, it will be important for them to see a bigger picture and play their part in contributing to programs that are both in their best interest and the best interests of the region.
Anonymous Active
The move to involve MFR’s, tourism and businesses can’t be as simple as additional messages; it will need to be empowering. It will require providing the tools and support they need
to actively move from “under the radar” to high profile examples of water-saving behaviours.
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Cairns Water Security Strategy - Communications and
Marketing Strategy – DM# 5014349
Excess Access
Given residents have already undertaken certain water-saving behaviours it will be important to highlight for them where their use is still excessive and how it can be reduced. This
will mean giving them access to information and tools that can help them use less water - in particular outdoors, on a seasonal basis.
Aware Awakened
Existing messages and creative approaches have been in the market for over seven years. As such consumers could be forgiven for not switching on to any new messages coming
from familiar voices. It will be important to create a new sense of purpose and this will rely on new information delivered in new and engaging ways.
The past The future
The CWSS is all about the future. This campaign will benefit from drawing a line in the sand; making a clean break between what has been done in the past and what needs to be
done in the future. We will look to establish new expectations, new behaviours, new tools for change and new norms to engage and empower all audiences.
The role for outdoor water savings
The federal government’s “Your Home” website cites 40% of all household water-use as typically occurring outdoors. It is estimated this figure can be as high as 60% in certain types
of households, with initiatives such as the Queensland Government’s Home Waterwise Service and One-to-One Heavy Water User Program identifying factors such as the presence
of pools, affinities for gardens and lawns and the size of blocks as all having roles to play in increasing household water use. The Water Services Association of Australia supports
this position reporting that in less dense capital cities where residences are more likely to require outdoor watering (reflective of the Cairns region), water consumption represents
nearly 50 percent of total household consumption.
Household indoor water use is largely dominated by bathrooms and toilets and the use of appliances such as washing-machines and dishwashers. Beyond reducing time spent in
showers, maximizing indoor water savings requires the use of water-savings technology such as low-flow restrictors on taps, water-efficient showerheads, front-loading washing
machines and dual-flush toilets, all of which involve a cost to consumers to purchase and/or install. In the absence of an incentive, drought conditions or punitive water costs, the cost
to install or upgrade these items is a significant barrier to behavior change.
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Cairns Water Security Strategy - Communications and
Marketing Strategy – DM# 5014349
Given the barriers indoors, the large amounts of water used outdoors and the observable norm that can be created through outdoor water savings behaviours, councils seeking to
manage demand for potable water have traditionally sought to limit household water use by targeting outdoor water use, with measures ranging from mandated watering restrictions
to government-funded rebates for water tanks and and other water saving technologies such as pool covers. Such initiatives present several benefits including:
• reducing per capita consumption;
• reducing household water costs;
• providing observable behavioural norms; and
• achieving all of the above through minimal behavior change or cost to the consumer.
Cairns is known for it lush tropical rainforest environment, so it not surprising to see landscaping and lawns featuring across all sectors within the region. Unless all of the efforts to
keep these environs green are currently being undertaken using the most water-efficient practices, targeting outdoor savings represents a cost-efficient and low-barrier water-saving
opportunity for both Council and Cairns ratepayers. (References for outdoor water use as a percentage of household use are included as Appendix Five.)
Recommended Desired Outcome
Given all of above, a desired outcome that marketing can realistically make a contribution towards and that can feed into CRC’s overall goals for widespread benefit will address the
opportunity that reducing outdoor water use offers across all sectors. If all sectors reduce outdoor potable water use, the region will save water, a new norm for water conservation will
be established and impetus for further savings (potentially indoors across all sectors) can be created – all for the least cost to individuals and businesses.
Desired Businesses, multi-user dwellings and single residential dwellings saving potable water outdoors.
Outcome
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Cairns Water Security Strategy - Communications and
Marketing Strategy – DM# 5014349
Desired Desired
Why? Barriers Segmentation Tools Roll-out
Outcome Change
Why?
Key to motivating change will be identifying “why” targets should all act. The “why” is expressed as one single sentence and should be defensible, aspirational, reflective of community
and individual self-interests.
Research has already highlighted that water security is a priority for the region and that water conservation is a course of action residents are prepared to take in order to keep the
region’s water supply secure (see Appendix One). Given the potential for achieving water savings through modifying outdoor behaviour a “Why” that connects reduced outdoor water
use with the community’s recognition of the need for ongoing water security has the potential to drive the voluntary behavior change we are seeking.
Why? Getting it right outdoors helps us get it right into the future.
The “Why” underpins all communications in the campaign.
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Cairns Water Security Strategy - Communications and
Marketing Strategy – DM# 5014349
Desired Desired
Why? Barriers Segmentation Tools Roll-out
Outcome Change
Barriers
Barriers to water saving behavior tend to be consistent across regions. They usually involve the time and costs associated with installing water-saving technologies and lifestyle
sacrifices ranging from having to take shorter showers to letting lawns go brown. An interesting barrier for the Cairns region is the lack of financial incentive to actually use less water
water due to its low cost to customers. Whereas excessive energy use can prove punitively expensive for households this is not the case for excessive water use within the CRC
region. This differs from the reality experienced within councils in other areas of the state and provides further reason why philosophically it is important for water users in the region to
buy into CRC’s “why”.
Specific barriers for key segments of this campaign have been identified as:
Businesses (including tourism operators)
• Potential cost to change to recycled water – for business and council
• If it is more expensive than potable water, potential uptake can be expected to be very low.
• Stigma attached to recycled water
• Despite uptake overseas, recycled water is yet to be embraced in Australia. The term “poo water” is easily offered by anyone looking to create negative sentiment.
• Time and resource involved – for businesses and council
• For business and MFRs to truly engage they will need to be supported beyond a communications campaign. This will require human resources on both sides and
the associated costs that come with providing these effectively.
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Cairns Water Security Strategy - Communications and
Marketing Strategy – DM# 5014349
• Lack of an existing positive norm
• It would be fair to assume that, few, if any, businesses and tourism operators have found all the water savings available to them. In fact, given the lack of messages
targeted directly at them, chances are they have not gone beyond the simplest cost saving measures in their pursuit of water savings. As a result, no best practice
norms are in place and no evidence of competitors or peers benefiting from improved behaviours and/or technologies will be able to inform any contact. A lack of
existing norms can prove a significant barrier to trial and broader levels of desired behaviour uptake.
• Access to decision makers
• The regional nature of Cairns can mean that owners and senior decision-makers can be located elsewhere – even overseas. For significant decisions to be
pursued, and ultimately made, this can prove problematic for regional managers balancing a range of issues and owners’ priorities. For Council, this can make
access to key people almost impossible.
• Current council example
• Research has highlighted the frustration of Cairns locals with Council not leading publicly in its water saving practices. In particular outdoor sprinklers watering in the
rain or across median strips onto roads has been a regular criticism. Council championing one behaviour with business whilst publicly demonstrating another will
undermine any efforts to credibly partner with this sector. (See Appendix One.)
Multi-Family Dwellings (MFR’s)
• As per businesses
• All the issues relevant to businesses – costs, stigma, time and resource needed, access to decision makers and current council example are all barriers for MFR’s
and would need to be addressed within any incentives or communications targeting reductions in their water use.
• Multiplicity of stakeholders involved
• An added complexity with MFR’s is that a number of stakeholders can be involved, ranging from owners to renters and their representatives – the Body Corporates.
• Volume of dwellings
• Any successful campaign will require Council resources and representatives contacting, liaising with and supporting MFR Body Corporates. Given that there will be
hundreds of heavy water consuming MFR’s worth targeting, this sector will be both time and resource consuming unless some simple tasks are set for
stakeholders.
• Low cost of water
• The current low cost of water is a disincentive to act when Body Corporates have other priorities and other savings to consider.
Single-Family Residential Dwellings (SFR’s)
• Knowledge, competency and costs associated with technology installation
• Any water survey always includes residents that think they could not be doing any more than what they are currently doing to save water. The same surveys usually
also show many of these residents to not have water-timers on their outdoor taps, water-saving technologies within their homes or water-saving strategies for their
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Cairns Water Security Strategy - Communications and
Marketing Strategy – DM# 5014349outdoor pools and spas. Any number of factors could be responsible for this disconnect but most likely it is one or more of the following: a lack of knowledge as to
where additional savings around the house can be derived; a lack of competency attached to DIY tasks associated with installation and use; and the time and/or
cost associated with installing new devices or water saving measures.
• Low cost of water
• As per the other sectors, comparative to other regions, water as it appears on users’ Rates Notices is cheap in Cairns and using more than is needed doesn’t hurt in
the same way using energy does.
• Knowledge around plant watering needs
• Cairns is a lush green environment and many outdoor gardens and landscaped premises are evidence of this. But how many households, MFRs and businesses
are overwatering outdoors based on a lack of knowledge as to how much water their plants actually need? Based on anecdotal evidence, many.
• Desire for green all-year round
• Social norms condition us into certain behaviours and expectations. Cairns is lush and green, so it would not be surprising if its residents, businesses and landlords
expect their properties to reflect one of the most natural offerings of the region.
• Current council example
• As per other sectors, residents are critical of council watering practices.
• Seasons as a driver for habit-forming behaviours
• After a long and sometimes late-ending dry season, residents could be forgiven for continuing their watering behavior into the wet season when it is no longer
necessary to access council water outdoors, given the amount of rain the region receives. Similarly, having seen the amount of water that gardens receive from
above in the wet season, it would be reasonable to expect that residents could over-water in the dry season, especially in the absence of information explaining how
little water their plants actually need to survive.
Barriers Costs, commitment needed, low cost of water, current council example, existing norms, resourcing and access
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Cairns Water Security Strategy - Communications and
Marketing Strategy – DM# 5014349Desired Desired
Why? Barriers Segmentation Tools Roll-out
Outcome Change
Segmentation
Statistical analysis undertaken by CRC has shown that whilst SFR and low-density dwellings account for over 50% of metered consumption in the region, Commercial, Tourist and
MFR dwellings represent a significant 35% of all water consumption. A further assessment of these consumers shows them to represent 60% of the region’s heaviest water users –
and yet, to date, no specific water saving messaging or behaviours have been targeted at them.
Consumption Top 50% of Consumption
Low density
Residential
4% Other Other Single
12% 20% Residential
Low density 16%
Single Residential
Commercial
Residential 4% Multi
and Tourist 49%
18% Commercial Residential
27%
Multi and Tourist
Residential 33%
17%
• 35% not yet targeted
• 60% of the heaviest users not yet targeted
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Cairns Water Security Strategy - Communications and
Marketing Strategy – DM# 5014349Given the costs attached to indoor technology upgrades, especially for food and beverage outlets, and the savings still to be made through a reduction in, or modification to outdoor
water use (eg replacing potable water with recycled water), finding ways to engage the MFR and business communities in outdoor water savings has the potential to offer low cost
incremental water savings and build a broader community-wide ownership of water saving behaviours. An assessment of the potential outdoor savings to be derived from these
premises has not yet been done, but as a water-saving audience they are too big to ignore and CRC is committed to finding ways to engage them as part of the CWSS. Our social
marketing approach has the flexibility to address both indoor and outdoor savings for these sectors, however, for the purposes of this response we have assumed that outdoor
savings can be achieved through an appropriate collaboration between council and these audiences.
Whilst new messaging and engagement activities will need to be undertaken with the MFR and business communities for maximum savings, planned and expected growth in single-
family residential dwellings mean this target audience will also need to be addressed on an ongoing basis. As such, we propose segmenting the communications and desired
behaviours to address audiences based on their dwelling type and the potential for savings within these dwellings.
Segmentation By dwelling type for new gains.
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Cairns Water Security Strategy - Communications and
Marketing Strategy – DM# 5014349Desired Desired
Why? Barriers Segmentation Tools Roll-out
Outcome Change
Desired Change
What exactly do we want people to do? It’s not enough to tell them to save water; we have to give them the new behaviours we want them to undertake in order to save water.
The seasonality of Cairns provides an opportunity to promote new behaviours that can lead to greater savings at certain times of the year. We will look to leverage the change in
seasons for new information, new messages and new types for savings. We have had it confirmed by CRC that in the wet season the region gets enough water to keep all outdoor
gardens and lawns sufficiently watered. In the dry seasons we are in a position to advise residents exactly how much water their plants will need to to stay healthy. As such we have
two new and distinct opportunities to help residents reduce outdoor water use throughout the year.
Annual Rainfall (mean 1943-2014)
500 Two distinct seasons represent an opportunity to promote two distinct
450
400 behaviours to residents:
350
300
250
In the wet season: no outdoor watering; let the rain do all the work.
200
150
100
50 In the dry season: know your times; when and for how long to water.
0
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
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Cairns Water Security Strategy - Communications and
Marketing Strategy – DM# 5014349The appeal of this approach from a behaviour change perspective is that we are actually asking people to do less! And for no apparent sacrifice – their yards won’t go brown; their
gardens won’t die. They will simply be spending less time working on them and less money watering them. From a behaviour change perspective it is a rare opportunity to offer
behaviours without any discernable barriers to uptake.
For MFR’s and businesses where there are significantly more barriers to address there will be a need for a different approach. CRC has already identified the need to introduce one-
on-one engagement and collaboration with these groups. Once further consultation has taken place it will be clearer as to the opportunities for savings both outdoors and indoors, but
irrespective of where the most savings may be sourced, an approach that demonstrates empathy for the barriers that exist will be one that provides the most opportunity for success.
As such we propose asking these sectors to take the first step towards behavior change and develop a “Plan” for saving water; much in the same way as they have a Maintenance
Plan for their facilities. These Plans would be based on accessing potential Council incentives, rebates or other collaborative offerings and would entail them making a commitment to
undertake certain behaviours by certain times. For their participation they would be rewarded with acknowledgement on achieving certain milestones – as well as the accompanying
financial benefits and sense of contribution to the community-wide commitment to saving water. Working with Council representatives they would agree to where the most savings
can be achieved and agree to a plan to introduce them with minimal cost and disruption to their existing operations. For the purposes of this response we have proposed outdoor
water savings in line with other community messaging as the first stage in any reduction, but this would best be agreed on a one-on-one basis with MRF and business heavy water
users and could easily be replaced with indoor water savings where relevant. If the outdoors approach was achievable as a first stage, it is possible that some of these premises
would be ready to find further savings indoors should council seek to partner with them.
Years 1-3
BY SEASON WET DRY
Single Residential No watering Know times
Multi-Residential A Water Saving Plan - outdoors A Water Saving Plan - outdoors
Business A Water Saving Plan - outdoors A Water Saving Plan - outdoors
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Cairns Water Security Strategy - Communications and
Marketing Strategy – DM# 5014349Years 4-5
BY SEASON WET DRY
Single Residential No watering Know times
Multi-Residential A Water Saving Plan - indoors A Water Saving Plan - indoors
Business A Water Saving Plan - indoors A Water Saving Plan - indoors
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Cairns Water Security Strategy - Communications and
Marketing Strategy – DM# 5014349Desired Desired
Why? Barriers Segmentation Tools Roll-out
Outcome Change
Tools
Key to a CBSM approach is its use of a variety of “tools” for promoting behaviour change. Proposed tools within the recommended approach follow:
Communications
Communications has played a key role in helping reduce per capita water consumption rates in the Cairns region and will continue to lead campaign activity. A detailed breakdown of
the channel selection and creative approach for proposed wet and dry season activity is included at the end of this section.
Prompts:
Visual or auditory aids, or prompts, which remind or assist individuals to carry out an activity they might otherwise get wrong or forget are regular features of CBSM programs. A
relevant prompt for this campaign would be an easily accessible tool that allows residents to know exactly how much water their plants and lawns need at any given time of the year.
As such we propose developing a web app that does just that; enabling residents to take photos of plants in their yards and receive online responses telling them how much water per
week they will need. More details about this app, and other proposed tools, are included in the creative executions and Appendix Two.
Commitments
A public commitment can motivate and enable behaviour change. For MFR’s and businesses their “Water Savings Plan” represents a commitment. We will target them to make one,
assist them in making it and promote the fact that they have made it. A commitment from a part of the region that to date has not had to do too much will be an important step in
generating community-wide ownership of the need to save water and achieving the voluntary water savings needed to meet demand management goals.
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Cairns Water Security Strategy - Communications and
Marketing Strategy – DM# 5014349Incentives:
Incentives tap into the need to reduce the actual cost of devices or services that can assist in driving behaviour change. Typical incentives include rebates for technologies purchased
or services undertaken, or a reduction in costs for a change in approach, eg discounted recycled water for outdoor watering at MRD’s or businesses. Council is still modelling the
opportunities rebates and retrofits provide, but they could prove key to water savings with the region’s heaviest water users - both indoors and out.
Norms:
Social norms can help individuals or groups to understand when they are acting outside what is socially acceptable and can quickly see frowned-upon behaviours replaced with
actions in line with community expectations. This program has the potential to achieve and promote a number of new norms:
• residents not watering outdoors in the wet season;
• residents using new technologies to only water when they need to in the dry season;
• MRDs and Businesses using recycled water outdoors;
• Cairns as a region becoming known for its voluntary seasonal based minimisation of potable water consumption outdoors.
Communications – in detail
The role for communications will be to create an environment where new norms are possible and voluntary behavior is undertaken based on perceived benefits. We will employ a
number of channels to ensure messages hit the right people at the right time in cost-efficient ways. Proposed channels and their roles follow:
Channels:
• Television will launch the program and create awareness for seasonally based campaigns
• TV quickly builds reach and allows us to then move to other lower cost media
• It can promote the web app for faster uptake
• As a medium it has the potential to engage and create recall and as such will play a key role in delivering overarching campaign messages
• The online environment via digital advertising and social media posts will allow us to target specific regions with specific messages as
well as engaging audiences where they are spending an increasing amount of their leisure time
• It will provide a direct link to the web app and other Council resources
• It will provide an ongoing low-cost presence for campaign messages
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Cairns Water Security Strategy - Communications and
Marketing Strategy – DM# 5014349• A campaign that targets outdoor water use will benefit from being seen outdoors. Buses can be incorporated to great effect across the region.
• Billboards will also have a role to play in taking messages outdoors in an uncluttered and memorable way.
• Print advertising will be incorporated at key times, but it’s presence will be reduced in line with print’s overall decline in effectiveness within a truly
integrated campaign mix.
• The proposed creative lends itself to cinema executions and as such allows us the flexibility to take a messages into new media and keep the contact with
consumers fresh and engaging.
• Direct Mail via inclusions within Council Rates Notices will allow for cost efficient and relevant communication with residents.
• Materials targeting MFRs and businesses will also be considered once Council is closer to finalising its preferred approach with these
sectors.
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Cairns Water Security Strategy - Communications and
Marketing Strategy – DM# 5014349• The Council Website will provide all the information residents need to save water around their homes.
Communications Creative Rationale:
The role of any effective creative campaign is to be persuasive, memorable and generate a return on investment for the advertiser. For behaviour change campaigns this is usually
more difficult than with traditional campaigns that simply seek to change people’s preferences (eg from one soap powder to another). Asking people to stop doing something they are
currently doing – usually something they prefer doing – and start doing something else requires empathy, a willingness to engage and an understanding that consumers are wary of
governments, at any level, telling them what to do.
CRC’s previous “sponge” water savings campaign managed to tap into community sentiment to deliver successful behavior change. However, after eight years of activity and with
some new objectives in play it is unlikely that the exiting “sponge” characters retain the freshness or newness to take residents on a new journey. As such we have looked to replace
them with a new group of characters that can impart new information in a memorable way and celebrate getting water saving behaviours right. These new characters will stay within
the animation genre and are based on iconic and common plants found in the Cairns region. CRC has confirmed them as being suitable to use to promote messages relating to local
flora. They are: Red Ginger; Bromeliad; Blue Jade Vine; Pandanus Tree; Blue Tree Fern; Fan Palm and together they will form a musical band we have called “Ginger and the
Survivors”. They will use colour, music and energy to impart all water-related messages; in particular the key seasonal messages that residents’ gardens and lawns don’t need as
much water as they might think. In the wet season, they will tell us that they can survive on the rain alone (a fact we have had confirmed by Council) and in the dry season they will tell
us they can survive on less water than we might think and that there is an app that can help every resident get it right for every plant. To add appeal and memorability to the
messages they will adapt and recreate their own version of the Gloria Gaynor disco classic “I will survive”.
Iconic Cairns plants recreating an iconic 70’s classic to quickly establish new knowledge and behaviours that can lead to new norms.
Campaign applications follow and an explanation of the proposed animation style is included as Appendix Four.
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Cairns Water Security Strategy - Communications and
Marketing Strategy – DM# 5014349Launching the Creative
Getting it right outdoors
has no downside…Take a snap of your plant
This is being updated. Place holder only.
Desired Desired
Why? Barriers Segmentation Tools Roll-out
Outcome Change
Roll-out
Within this response we have been asked to address a roll-out over five years and to recommend budget allocations. It is proposed that we launch the campaign immediately prior to
the wet season of 2016/17 for maximum impact and to fit in with Council commitments in 2016. Following are our proposed roll-out and budget recommendations:
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Cairns Water Security Strategy - Communications and
Marketing Strategy – DM# 5014349Yr 1 - 2016/17 Yr 2 - 2017/18 Yr 3 - 2018/19 Yr 4 - 2019/20 Yr 5 - 2020/21
SEGMENT
J A S O N D J F MA MJ J A S O N D J F MA MJ J A S O N D J F MA MJ J A S O N D J F MA MJ J A S O N D J F MA MJ
A NEW NORM THE NEXT NORM
Know times Know times Know times Know times
Single Residential Dwellings
No watering No watering No watering No watering No watering
Outdoor Water Rebates - Timers
Indoor Rebates - Dual Flush
Plan to save outdoors Plan to Save - Recycle/Retrofit
Multi-Residential Dwellings
Recycled Water Subsidies
Outdoor Water Technology Rebates
Indoor Rebates - Dual Flush
Plan to save outdoors Plan to Save - Recycle/Retrofit
Businesses
Plan to Save Indoors
Recycled Water Subsidies
Outdoor Water Technology Rebates
Indoor Rebates - Dual Flush
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
Approx. Rainfall (mm) 50
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Cairns Water Security Strategy - Communications and
Marketing Strategy – DM# 5014349In summary:
Our methodology asks and answers all the questions needed to arrive at clearly articulated outcomes and defensible campaign applications. It can be summarised succinctly, as
follows:
Desired Outcome Businesses, multi-user dwellings and single residential dwellings saving potable water outdoors.
Why? Getting it right outdoors helps us get it right into the future.
Barriers Costs, commitment needed, low cost of water, current council example, existing norms, resourcing and access
Segmentation By dwelling type for new gains.
Desired Change SRDS - No watering/Know times MRDs/Businesses - Plan to save
Tools Commitments, Prompts, Incentives, Norms, Communications
Roll-out Launch prior to wet season 2016/17 and roll-out by seasons
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Cairns Water Security Strategy - Communications and
Marketing Strategy – DM# 5014349Appendix One: Relevant excepts from 2014 Council Survey
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Cairns Water Security Strategy - Communications and
Marketing Strategy – DM# 5014349Q6. Given the population growth in the Region, what do you think
Council could do to provide greater security for water supply
3
39
Cairns Water Security Strategy - Communications and
Marketing Strategy – DM# 5014349Q7. How important do you think water conservation is, in the
Cairns local area?
4
40
Cairns Water Security Strategy - Communications and
Marketing Strategy – DM# 5014349Q11. Do you think Cairns Regional Council leads by example in
terms of its water conservation practices?
“Don’t know” up on 2007. Of those with an opinion
“No” answer down slightly 64% (cf. 66% 2007).
5
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Cairns Water Security Strategy - Communications and
Marketing Strategy – DM# 5014349Appendix Two: Proposed Tools
Web App.
Our Web App will hold information about the watering needs of many local plants - potentially 150-200. Residents can search this collection of information and they can search the
website just like you’d expect; by typing in a name of a plant, a keyword about the plant or collection of words. But, we understand how hard it is to spell the names of plants. We also
know many plants are known by multiple names and often they’ve never been read only heard. So, let’s use the camera.
To achieve that we’ll develop the proposed website with engaging additional functions that make it what’s called a Web App or Hybrid App. So it will be a responsive site that works
like both a website and an app.
How does it work like an app? Users can snap a pic of a plant right in their garden and the web app will then search for a matching image to provide that particular plant’s watering
information. So while the sun warms their back, users will get the watering information they need - where and when they need it - without having to spell something in latin.
Using the camera is a simple and different search method, which will engage users more than standard searching or filling in a form, not to mention it’s much easier to take a picture
than it is to type. This interesting difference will be talked about and demoed between friends and family. These conversations will, by necessity, take place in gardens making the
Web App a meaningful tool and a community-driven prompt.
In addition to the database of watering information the Web App will host tips and calls to action for other engagement initiatives like the Facebook page, offers and events.
Facebook Offer Post – Retrofits/Rebates
In the event of retrofits or rebates being offered, a Facebook Offer Post is a regular post with an additional function that communicates an offer. An embedded call to action button
invites the viewer to Get Offer. They will then receive an email with instruction on how to redeem the offer. CRC can also give limits to the offer, like a end date or limit the offer by
quantity. As this post is not an ad CRC’s entire audience will have the organic possibility of seeing it without any ad spend. However, it would be recommended to boost the post to a
targeted local audience to make it more effective.
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Cairns Water Security Strategy - Communications and
Marketing Strategy – DM# 5014349Spotify Promotion / Competition
Music to water to. We want to encourage people to only water for a set period of time. What if we give them a playlist that is exactly that long? So when the music stops so does the
water. We can create this playlist with Spotify. Spotify is a music streaming service. Spotify users are listening for 148 minutes a day and largely on mobile devices. Perfect while
gardening. CRC as a Spotify user can share created playlists. These playlists would be free to listen to and freely available.
To activate this idea further we recommend a competition to encourage to make their own playlists timed to the correct watering duration for their gardens. By sharing these playlists
they could go in the draw to win a subscription (or other prize).
The promotion of CRC playlists would be a helpful prompt and messaging tool. Once the concept is established further engagement through a competition could be gained.
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Cairns Water Security Strategy - Communications and
Marketing Strategy – DM# 5014349Appendix Three: Creative Briefs
JOB TITLE: “Why” – Brand Brief
Who are we talking to?
Anyone currently using potable water outdoors. Cairns is in the tropics and it is a very green place, so keeping things green can take a bit of water. Especially for council and the
business/tourism sector.
Where are we in their minds?
Water is important and they know the region is growing. They also understand that ongoing water security is important, but wouldn’t be aware that two poor wet seasons would
seriously affect supply. Households have been doing their bit, but water use is still much higher than other parts of the state. There’s still plenty of room to get water consumption
down. Problem is, water is still very cheap up there so using it is not punitive. The big end of town, which tends to be the biggest users of water to date have done little to reduce their
water use – indoors or out. But there will be opportunities for them in the coming years with recycled water being more accessible and council dedicating resource to help them get
their water use down. Their attitudes in this space are unknown, but if change can bring financial as well as water savings - and broader community benefits - they would be out of line
with community sentiment if they didn’t consider a new way of doing things
What is the problem the advertising must solve?
Show how a community-wide attitude for finding outdoor water savings helps everyone enjoy the best of Cairns.
What is the key message?
Getting it right outdoors helps us get it right into the future.
What is the support?
• Cairns is growing and will continue to grow.
• Water will continue to be essential to keeping Cairns, Cairns.
• Council is doing all that it can, but the responsibility is everyone’s.
What is the personality of the advertising?
Approachable, encouraging and accessible.
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Cairns Water Security Strategy - Communications and
Marketing Strategy – DM# 5014349JOB TITLE: Wet Season Residential
Cairns gets plenty of rain in the wet season. So we want people to stop watering outside when there’s enough water coming from the sky.
Who are we talking to?
Residents. They know Cairns has a wet and dry season and by the time the wet season comes, they are ready for it; the relieving rains in the afternoon, water back in the river beds
and water back in the dam.
Where are we in their minds?
Despite the rain, they still water. Yet chances are the rain would keep things green. But, old habits die hard. And because water’s so cheap, it’s not like there’s a punishment for being
wasteful. But no-one wants to be a mug and if they understand that we all have to do our bit, chances are they would try to comply.
What is the problem the advertising must solve?
Show how doing nothing can be one of the best things a household can do for the region’s future prosperity.
What is the key message?
When it comes to outdoor watering this wet season, do your bit; don’t do a thing.
What is the support?
• Our yards get all the water they need from January to April.
What is the personality of the advertising?
A bit of Cairns common-sense.
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Cairns Water Security Strategy - Communications and
Marketing Strategy – DM# 5014349JOB TITLE: Dry Season Residential
Who are we talking to?
Residents. They know Cairns has a wet and dry season. And they know what the dry season is like – the best part of the year.
Where are we in their minds?
They are up in Cairns for everything that it has to offer and the natural environment is a big part of that, so it’s only natural to want to keep things green. But that can lead to
overwatering, especially with all those big-leafed water-loving plants up there. But they are aware that they have a role to play, so will be open to messages that help them do the right
thing.
What is the problem the advertising must solve?
Reduce outdoor water use in the dry season by promoting competency around outdoor water use.
What is the key message?
In the dry season, timing is everything.
What is the support?
• Timers are a great start and Council will rebate them (not sure how, but don’t worry about that)
• Don’t waste water of paths, etc (usual outdoors wastage messages)
• It’s important to stick to council times and restrictions
• It’s even better to know how long to water for.
• Get it right and it’s even less work for you
What is the personality of the advertising?
A bit of Cairns common-sense.
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Cairns Water Security Strategy - Communications and
Marketing Strategy – DM# 5014349JOB TITLE: MUDs Water Plans
Who are we talking to?
All the people in apartment blocks and multi-user residential dwellings in Cairns. This will include the Body Corporates and the owners/residents. The buildings usually have pools,
nice landscaping and sum up all that Cairns has to offer – green and blue. The occupants are there because they like this sort of thing.
Where are we in their minds?
They would be aware of water savings campaigns but because they are metered differently, have never been specifically targeted and water is so cheap they are getting a great
looking environment for not a lot of cost or discipline. Chances are they could be doing things better, but to date they have not been motivated to do so.
They have never been targeted to reduce their water and chances are they won’t change anything unless it makes economic sense or they see the benefit of tapping into a broader
community commitment. They might be doing a bit of water conservation - using the right sprinklers, watering at the right times - but chances are they aren’t vigilant because water is
so cheap and it’s important to keep things looking green and lush. They wouldn’t have thought about recycled water as an option because potable water is so cheap, but would be
open to it if it was safe and didn’t cost them any more to run.
They wouldn’t have thought of themselves as a drain on the region’s water supplies. Chances are they could be saving more water, both indoors and outdoors, but retrofits are costly
things and if its not broken why fix it? Especially since no-one has been asking them to.
But as the region goes more water conscious, and everyone, including business, is doing more, they will be more inclined to get involved.
What is the problem the advertising must solve?
Launch the concept of MUDs having a “water plan”, much in the same way as they have maintenance plans and, as such, start to create a new norm for how they can be playing their
part.
What is the key message?
Plan to save – and benefit!
What is the support?
• Working title for plan is “T3” – Technology, Times and Type. Technology refers to water saving devices (eg sprinklers/guttering/tanks etc). Times refer to knowing when and
how to water plants, and Type refers to the type of water used – potable or recycled. You can call it what you like.
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Cairns Water Security Strategy - Communications and
Marketing Strategy – DM# 5014349• Pick a purple pipe and save. Council is in a position to provide subsidised recycled water to heavy water users. This water is part of new infrastructure highlighted by purple
above-ground pipes. Businesses tapping into these pipes for outdoor watering as part of a drive to save water would save a lot of potable water. Providing this sort of access
and support is the start of council looking to get businesses and MUDs to re-think how they are using water.
• Timers will save water and send the right message. There are even rain-sensitive timers out there. No-one likes seeing sprinklers on in the rain when everyone is being
asked to reduce their use. Council can provide rebates for this.
• There are all sorts of ways to capture water – tanks, guttering etc. that can be considered as part of a plan
• Knowing how long to water will be important.
• Chances are they have got indoors right, but council might be able to help them if they are in older dwellings with older technology, but in the main the focus should be on
outdoors.
• Council will have online tool that helps them plan. We would need to build this of course.
• They will be acknowledged as being part of the solution.
• Council will have people that can help them get it right.
What is the personality of the advertising?
Win/win.
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Cairns Water Security Strategy - Communications and
Marketing Strategy – DM# 5014349JOB TITLE: Business Water Plans
Who are we talking to?
Cairns’s heaviest water users, outside of council, come from within the business sector. Primarily they are tourism based operators; the big hotel/retail and accommodation
complexes. Cairns relies on tourism and will for many years to come, so these businesses are expected to look good and make a buck. In recent years they have all struggled;
cyclones, GFC’s, high Aussie dollar have all played their part. Some of them will be owned locally, but others will be owned off-shore and locally operated, so the decision-making
chain isn’t as clear cut as it is when talking to residences.
Where are we in their minds?
They have never been targeted to reduce their water and chances are they won’t change anything unless it makes economic sense or they see the benefit of tapping into a broader
community commitment. They are the flag bearers for the local economy and will see it as their role to look good - and their outdoor presence is a big part of this. They might be
doing a bit of water conservation - using the right sprinklers, watering at the right times - but chances are they aren’t vigilant because water is so cheap and it’s important to keep
things looking green and lush. They wouldn’t have thought about recycled water as an option because potable water is so cheap, but would be open to it if it was safe and didn’t cost
them any more to run.
They wouldn’t have thought of themselves as a drain on the region’s water supplies because they’ve being doing everything they can to stay in business, do a good job and keep
money running through the local economy. Chances are they could be saving more water, both indoors and outdoors, but retrofits are costly things and if its not broken why fix it?
Especially since no-one has been asking them to.
But as the region goes more water conscious, and business becomes a focus of council, it could help them to be seen to be a part of the solution. Finding new ways to keep Cairns
green, so to speak.
What is the problem the advertising must solve?
Launch the concept of tourism/accommodation businesses having a “water plan”, much in the same way they have maintenance plans and, as such, start to create a new norm for
how they can be playing their part.
What is the key message?
Plan to save – and benefit!
What is the support?
49
Cairns Water Security Strategy - Communications and
Marketing Strategy – DM# 5014349• I’m calling the Plan the “T3” – Technology, Times and Type. Technology refers to water saving devices (eg sprinklers/guttering/tanks etc). Times refer to knowing when and
how to water plants, and Type refers to the type of water used – potable or recycled. You can call it what you like.
• Pick a purple pipe and save. Council is in a position to provide subsidised recycled water to heavy water users. This water is part of new infrastructure highlighted by purple
above-ground pipes. Businesses tapping into these pipes for outdoor watering as part of a drive to save water would save a lot of potable water. Providing this sort of access
and support is the start of council looking to get business to re-think how they are using water.
• Timers will save water and send the right message. There are even rain-sensitive timers out there. No-one likes seeing sprinklers on in the rain when we are being asked to
reduce our use. Council can provide rebates for this.
• There are all sorts of ways to capture water – tanks, guttering etc. that can be considered as part of a plan
• Knowing how long to water will be important.
• Chances are they have got indoors right, but maybe some restaurants could be doing more. Council might be able to help them with this, but in the main the focus should be
on outdoors.
• Council will have online tool that helps them plan. We would need to build this of course.
• They will be acknowledged as being part of the solution.
• Council will have people that can help them get it right.
What is the personality of the advertising?
Win/win.
50
Cairns Water Security Strategy - Communications and
Marketing Strategy – DM# 5014349JOB TITLE: Residential Retrofit Example
If council was to offer a retrofit program we need to show how it could be promoted within the proposed creative strategy.
FYI: a retrofit program is when a qualified person (in this case it would be a plumber) goes into a house and replaces old technology with new. They might check for major leaks, fix
leaky taps/cisterns (with new washers etc) replace a shower-head with a water-efficient one and put in some low flow water restrictors.) Chances are it would be too expensive to
replace a single flush toilet with a dual-flush one. But they would certainly advise the resident to do so as part of any on-site audit they would conduct.
NB. This is hypothetical. We are simply showing how it could work.
Who are we talking to?
Residents. Especially those in older homes with potentially older/no water technology. They might still have single flush toilets, and might not have any, or all, of the following: low flow
restrictors on their taps, water-efficient showerheads and outdoor water timers.
Where are we in their minds?
They know water conservation is important but haven’t been prepared to spend the money on, or able to afford, an upgrade. An incentive might be a nice prompt for them to act. It
shows how serious council is, heightens what is expected of residents and represents a good opportunity to to grab a bargain.
What is the problem the advertising must solve?
Motivate action amongst an inactive group by highlighting the bargain they are getting and the good they are doing.
What is the key message?
You save money, we all save water
What is the support?
• Council will fund a program that sees qualified tradies come in and replace old technology with new and check homes for other water saving opportunities.
• $200 value for $50 bucks.
What is the personality of the advertising?
Positive and pragmatic. We’re doing what it takes for the future.
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Cairns Water Security Strategy - Communications and
Marketing Strategy – DM# 5014349JOB TITLE: Residential Rebate Example
If council was to offer a rebate on water technology purchases we need to show how it could be promoted within the proposed creative strategy. A rebate program could involve
rebates on the purchase and/or installation of higher priced items like dual flush toilets or the more expensive water timers, eg $100 off the cost of any purchase/installation.
NB. This is hypothetical. We are simply showing how it could work.
Who are we talking to?
Residents that have single flush toilets, or that use a lot of water in their yards/gardens.
Where are we in their minds?
They know water conservation is important but haven’t been prepared to spend the money on, or able to afford, an upgrade. An incentive might be a nice prompt for them to act. It
shows how serious council is, heightens what is expected of residents and represents a good opportunity to to grab a bargain.
What is the problem the advertising must solve?
Motivate action amongst an inactive group by highlighting the bargain they are getting and the good they are doing.
What is the key message?
You save money, we all save water
What is the support?
• For proof of every dual flush purchase/installation council will rebate $100.
• For every water timer purchase over the value of $150, council will rebate $100.
What is the personality of the advertising?
Positive and pragmatic. We’re doing what it takes for the future.
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Cairns Water Security Strategy - Communications and
Marketing Strategy – DM# 5014349You can also read
