Communication – Sensitisation

Inspiring changes in the environmental behaviour of people and social groups, is a complex undertaking. This is highlighted by the fact that a dedicated arm of psychology has been developed around this aspect, the environmental psychology. At the same time, sociology has also a large body of research around environmental behaviours of social groups. Even more, social psychology has a special concentration on social representations for the environment, which aims to combine personal parameters and social groups influences in shaping the environmental behaviours of the individual and the public. 

Obviously, inspiring changes in the environmental behaviours of people and societies goes well beyond the limits of product marketing. Product marketing is about switching from one product to the other or consuming a new product. Changing environmental behaviour is about changing habits and eventually culture, which is much more complex than the first. Around this transformation we had the development of Social Marketing by Lee Kotler, which eventually developed to Community Based Social Marketing with the contribution of other academics. These methodologies are in a much better place to have concrete results than traditional information and product type campaigns. Unfortunately, even today, most communication funds in this area are expensed on information campaigns that have high costs and law yields. 

Managing this process is not an easy task. In addition, this societal transformation requires more than communication initiatives. It entails proper use of financial and legal tools to encourage (carrot) new behaviour and discourage (stick) old behaviours. Nevertheless, those in charge of such transformation efforts (governments, local authorities, NGOs, businesses etc.) need to ensure that they are in good control of this process and their money is properly and effectively invested.

Kyriakos has been in charge of such campaigns for more than 15 years. Much of the changes in these behaviours in Cyprus have been the result of the work performed by the three EPR organisations managed by Kyriakos. During his time as the General Manager of the three EPR organisations, more than 10 million euros have been invested in this behavioural transformation. Kyriakos was also trained in the US in an advanced course in Community Based Social Marketing, by professor Doug McKenzie-Mohr, the pioneer of CBSM internationally.

PSC is in place to support you and your organisation in:

• Planning and deploying sensitisation campaigns
• Planning and deploying Reduce-Reuse-Recycle (RRR) campaigns for alternative waste streams
• Planning and deploying campaigns using new e-media (social networks, emails, online forums and consultations etc.)
• Planning and deploying Public Relations Strategies