Feebate: Strategic Communications

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Feebate Strategic Communications

• Andrea Balazs
• Atiyah Curmally
• Catherine Mansell
• Maria Sinnamon
• Professor Andrew Pleasant

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Goal

• To create a communications campaign to support
  the passage of Feebate legislation in Rhode Island

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Presentation -- Preliminary Outline

• Audiences
• Themes
• Barriers
• Proposed Timeline
• Summary

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Audiences in Rhode Island

• Car buyers -- suburban
• Car buyers -- urban
• News media
• Lawmakers and politicians

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Principal Communications Issue

• People use too much gasoline in their cars and
  trucks

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Key Feebate Messages
Why should they care? What should they do?
Audience 1 Suburban Will reduce our dependence on foreign oil Greenhouse gases are harming our coastline Sign feebate petition
Audience 2 Urban Many children and elderly have greater health problems due to air pollution from vehicles Sign feebate petition
Audience 3 Media Story has reader interest Story has unique national news potential Write stories Cover publicity events
Audience 4 Lawmakers Reducing air pollution will result in reduced Medicaid costs Protection of the shoreline is beneficial for tourism and recreation Give interviews Pass feebate
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Feebate Themes

• Dependency on foreign oil (suburban car buyers)
• Greenhouse gas emissions/shoreline (suburban and
  legislators)
• Improved health (urban car buyers)
• Rhode Island leadership (all audiences)
• Incentive for socially responsible behavior (all
  audiences)

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Barriers to Feebate
Barriers
Audience 1 and 2 Suburban and Urban Car buyers Perceived as an SUV tax Possible fee Perception that bigger is better for safety Freedom/right to own any car
Audience 3 Media Complex issue to communicate Another environmental story cry wolf Not enough reader interest
Audience 4 Lawmakers Reelection concerns Loss in gasoline tax revenue for state Complex issue- communication, constituency
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Feebate Promotional Timeline

• Design graphics and press package
• Develop childrens poster contest
• Create website
• Hold informational meetings
• Hold Waterplace Park event
• Gather petition signatures
• Provide media interviews by experts
• Anticipate Feebate vote

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Summary Few people will change car buying
behavior on economic appeal alone

• McKenzie-Mohr, 1999, p.12
• Audience specific themes/ messages/ actions
• Structured evaluation

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Potential Donors and Supporters

• Rhode Island Foundation
• Rhode Island Hospital Foundation
• Blue Cross Blue Shield and United Health Plan
• Brown University Env Sciences
• Pharmaceutical Companies
• Environmental Protection Agency

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Evaluation criteria

• Numbers at events/ on petitions
• Numbers of Web site hits
• Poster contest participants
• Count stories/ interviews
• Feebate bill pass this year y/n