UK ad agency Wieden and Kennedy wanted to cut their own office energy use by 10%. Instead of exhorting staff to save money, or tonnes of carbon, or black balloons…it’s as if they asked: how can turning of lights become a really GOOD act?
The result was the OFF-ON campaign. They teamed up with non-profit SolarAid to spend the money they saved on installing solar PV panels in Cheryl’s Childrens Home, Nairibi.
Now turning off the lights helps an orphan read at night.
I think this smashes the assumption that turning off lights, or similar mundane acts, have to be boring, inconsequential and uninspiring. It’s not the act itself, it’s what it means to the actor. SO…how can we build emotionally-touching and REAL backstories for otherwise minor and tedious sustainability actions?
http://solar-aid.org/about/2010/11/solaraid-is-thrilled-to-announ-1.html
