Plan Your Campaign

> Define the Purpose
> Background
> Vulnerabilities
> Opportunities
> Communication Objective
> Audiences
> Key Messages
> Strategies and Actions
> Timeline
> Collateral Materials
> Resources
> Evaluation

Before you begin, plan exactly what your campaign will look like. Here are some of the major touch points you need to think about before you launch an anti-idling campaign.

Define the Purpose
List clearly your Program Purpose or Objective. For instance: to lower emissions in X by Y percent (where X is the name of your community and you put a percentage in place of the Y.)

Background
Make a list of everything that is relevant to this project. Include things like the number of vehicles in your community's public works yard, and why you are implementing this campaign.

This is a good place to list the current state of air quality in your community. It would be great if you did some pre-campaign measurements so that you'll know if the campaign is working down the road.

Identify the community's idling hotspots. These are the areas where idling is prevalent (i.e., community centres, arenas, libraries, ferry crossings and schools). You'll need this information when it comes time to plan your strategies and actions.

> Back to top

Vulnerabilities
List those things that you think will work against you when implementing your campaign. For instance, in communities with colder climates, many citizens are used to leaving their car running when they do their errands. One way to deal with this is to encourage the use of block heaters, glow plugs and making sure the proper oil is in the engine.

Opportunities
List those things that you think will work in your favour when implementing your campaign.

Make sure you take advantage of the things in your favour, and find a way to mitigate the things that work against you. Don't walk in blind.

Communication Objectives
State your objectives. For instance, you may want to:

• educate your staff about the harms of idling
• educate the public about the harms of idling
• educate parents about . . .
• educate teachers about . . .
• educate bus drivers . . .
• increase awareness of the benefits of reducing idling within your community
• encourage the various stakeholder groups within your community (i.e., schools, government, environmental and transportation associations, and businesses) to take action to reduce unnecessary vehicle idling
• change the idling behaviours of motorists.

The reason the objectives are specific to groups is because it makes it easier to assign a Strategy and Action if the audience is specific.

> Back to top

Audiences
Who are the people you're talking to? Break them into groups of people you can reach one at a time with specific tools. For instance, if you say one audience is your employees, then you'll need to plan under Strategies and Actions how to reach them. You may use a newsletter, Intranet, a notice with pay-stubs, signs, reminder-stickers on municipal vehicle windshields, contests, meetings etc.

You'll want two lists. One group is those people you think need to hear your anti-idling message, and the other group is the those whom you want to tell so they'll help you spread the word.

The second group is people or businesses you want to partner and build relationships with. The Chamber of Commerce, the school board, ICBC and the driving school would be three good partners.

Don't forget to include as your audience like-minded groups that are possible partners, such as:

• Local airshed societies
• B.C. Lung Association
• Idle Free B.C.
• Smart Growth B.C.
• Fraser Basin Council

Key Messages
These are the things you want to say to your audience repeatedly. The messages have to sound positive when your mayor or council person says them. The messages also have to be believable and real.

Here are some example messages:

• Turn your engine off if you are going to be stopped for more than a minute, except in traffic.
• You can save fuel, money and contribute to a healthier environment by turning your engine off when parking.
• If every Canadian motorist avoided idling their vehicle for just five minutes each day of the year, we could prevent more than 2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere. That's the equivalent of taking over 350 000 cars off the road.
• Idling gets you nowhere.
• All it takes is the turn of a key.
• If you think idling is harmless ... think again.

> Back to top

Strategies and Actions
List "What", "How", "Who" and "When" for everything you need to do to launch your campaign. For instance, if one of your objectives is to reach commuters, you would include a radio campaign in your strategy. So it might look like this:

* You should consider asking the radio station for in-kind contribution in exchange for partner status.

If one of your objectives is to reduce idling in front of schools, you would include a letter-writing campaign. So it might look like this:

* You would want to partner with the Parent Teacher Association for this task because they have influence with the recipients of your letters.

The best way to make an action plan is to look at your audiences, and figure out the best way to reach each one. It may be by: letter, radio, newspaper ad, newspaper editorial, pay-stub information, with the utilities bill, signage, posters, public presentations, contests, billboards, bus advertising, mayor's proclamation, news release (and any other way you can think of to reach a particular audience).

Timeline
Here is an example of a campaign timeline. You don't have to follow this exactly; but it will give you a rough idea of how long each stage could take.

Collateral Materials
What are the "things" you'll need for this campaign. I.e.: posters, website, signs, news release, bylaw copy etc.

Resources
How many of your staff do you need for this project? When and why will you need them? How much of your budget will you need to spend? What will you need it for? (A great way to save money on printing and advertising is to get a local printer and the news media onside as partners.)

Evaluation
Include expected results and measures of these results. Also include how you plan to measure. I.e.: participation surveys, spot checks. etc. You will most likely need this information if you are applying for funding for this campaign or any other clean air related campaign.

It is important to define your goals and make them measurable. Have a start and end date as well as a way to measure your effectiveness.

Example: "X" number of parents signing an I Won't Idle in the School Parking Lot pledge form is a measurable goal. Know how many people your program will potentially influence. Keep the numbers realistic.

> Back to top