Americans say they care about water conservation, a national survey shows, but not enough to forgo a long shower, plant new landscaping, or replace their toilets to save water.nnThat’s why Shelton Group, an advertising and marketing agency with an exclusive focus on motivating consumers to make more sustainable choices, is launching a national public service campaign aimed at helping Americans recognize the moment their water usage goes from useful to wasteful.nnFindings from Shelton Group’s Green Living Pulse Survey reveal that most Americans are unwilling to give up comfort and personal freedom for the environment. While the survey found that 69 percent of Americans believe it is important to personally reduce water consumption, only 26 percent actually acted on these beliefs by replacing toilets or showerheads with low-flow alternatives. Fewer than half of those surveyed gave up tub baths or took shorter showers to reduce water use, only 4 percent installed rain barrels, and only 6 percent planted low-water landscaping.nn
nnThese findings led Shelton, in collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) WaterSense®, to create the Wasting Water is Weird campaign, sponsored by Bosch home appliances, Kohler, Lowe’s and Proctor & Gamble. The national campaign is based on a key understanding of behavior change – exposing automatic behaviors so people can make conscious choices.nnThe campaign seeks to shift Americans from automatic behaviors such as running the water while brushing their teeth, to conscious decisions, including changing their showerheads or toilets to more water-efficient models.nnIt’s a critical issue. Experts agree that within the next five years, 36 states will face serious water shortages. Yet the United States is a water-intensive nation—each of us uses about 100 gallons a day.nn”Our consumer surveys show Americans talk a good game about water conservation but take very little action,” said Suzanne Shelton, President and CEO of Shelton Group. “We’ve found you cannot just tell people they have to stop using water or try to put a positive spin on making a sacrifice. And guilting them into making a change by throwing dire realities at them doesn’t work. This campaign helps consumers make the shift from an automatic behavior to a conscious choice.”nn “We know the brain reacts more powerfully to ‘don’t waste’ messages than ‘save’ messages,” Shelton said. “Urging Americans to reduce their water usage to save the planet won’t work – instead, our campaign aims to appeal to a sense of personal responsibility.”nnThe 30-second spots deliver an ‘aha’ moment via Rip the Drip, a humorously ‘weird’ character that pops up whenever people start wasting water while going about their daily activities. After they’ve realized that they’re wasting more water than they need – and that Wasting Water is Weird – they stop. The campaign also incorporates video PSAs, a website, social media, and outdoor and online advertising.nn “We hope that the campaign will lead Americans to realize they can conserve water simply by becoming more conscious of how they are using – and too often wasting – water. In addition to demonstrating a strong commitment to consumer education and environmental responsibility, the campaigns sponsors – Bosch, Kohler, Lowe’s and Procter and Gamble –are active participants in environmental best practices such as EPA’S WaterSense and ENERGY STAR programs,” Shelton said.nnnnFor more information, visit www.wastingwaterisweird.comnnAbout Shelton GroupnShelton Group is an advertising agency located in Knoxville, Tennessee, focused exclusively on bringing sustainability to the mass market. The agency partners with world-class organizations including Toshiba LED Lighting Division, Lowe’s, Georgia-Pacific, and First Energy to develop and implement sustainability marketing campaigns that drive change and drive results. For more information, visit www.sheltongrp.com.Mittie Rooney 301-229-1618 Contact Mittie via email
Who Needs Los Angeles? We Do.
One doesn't have to be a statistician to know that there are fewer commercials being shot in the U.S. today for the American market than ever before, and a dramatic decrease in L.A. in particular. In the last five years, as reported by FilmLA (the office tasked with issuing permits), L.A. commercial production has dipped 31 percent. But here’s the thing: This doesn’t mean that L.A. has lost its importance as the production center of the world. Production in L.A. is vital. It is the go-to. It’s where you can count on access to exemplary crews, a support infrastructure second to none, varied location and backlot options, a large population of on-screen talent and (fairly) predictable weather. The fact is, with overall decline and now the devastation of the fires, we’re on the brink of losing this mainstay resource. Without employment opportunities and now many without homes, talented and trained crew are bound to leave either the industry or the LA area for other opportunities, unless there are enough job opportunities to sustain a solid living. Now is the time when we ALL must support and bolster this community. Production is needed in L.A., now! Of course, advertising is a business, and marketers’ money should be spent as efficiently as possible, BUT we have to think beyond each production and know that if we lose the incredible resource of L.A. production as we know it, then marketers, agencies and the industry loses in the long run. Over the past several days, some agencies have issued directives to production companies that are unilaterally pushing upcoming production options out of L.A. The fact is L.A. is a large area, and many sections of the city and county are not directly impacted... Read More