Large-scale industrial pollution is a major driver of climate change, but we can’t fix it without the support of the men and women who build America’s infrastructure, factories, and energy facilities. In Pennsylvania, leaders wanted to launch a bold program to address industrial emissions. Pennsylvania had the backing of the heads of the major labor unions in the state, but to be successful, they knew they also needed rank and file union members to embrace the plan.
Our work
Shifting the Narrative.
Union members are not opposed to moving towards cleaner forms of energy, but they also have a strong sense of personal risk over potential tradeoffs. Our analysis found that this perception leaves labor incredibly susceptible to counter messaging arguing that the energy transition would handcuff American competitiveness, increase costs, and eliminate jobs for people like them.
The typical messaging from clean energy advocates disputed all of those points, arguing instead that clean energy would create jobs and boost the economy, but the fundamental framing was the same: the energy transition was something external happening to union members.
Insights:
Potential Energy’s approach starts by understanding our target audience, what matters to them, and how they think about the world. We conducted message testing, quantitative research, and direct conversations with union members across Pennsylvania, and we found that the most effective narrative flipped the script – making the energy transition about labor’s role in driving it, not about their risk from it.
Program:
With the success of the state’s industrial decarbonization initiative at stake, we set out to shift the narrative about clean energy among union members in Pennsylvania. The campaign involved three core components:
Power up local groups and coalitions.
Getting the messaging right required teaming up with a broad set of organizations and allies to meet our audience where they were. We partnered with labor and union-affiliated groups, local union chapters, and others to develop timing and targeting strategies and identify the right messengers.
Move the segments that matter.
While labor leaders were supportive of the state’s energy transition efforts, we found that union members were a key segment that could be moved to support – or oppose – the work based upon the messaging. We built a targeted, multi-prong advertising campaign to take the new narrative about clean energy to the people who needed to hear it.
Engage and embolden leaders.
The data made it clear that the program was working, helping to increase leaders’ confidence in the salience and popularity of clean industrial policy in Pennsylvania.
Results:
Pennsylvania is now moving ahead as a national leader in industrial decarbonization – with the support of labor leaders and union members.
There will also be long-term benefits from this project. In addition to laying the groundwork for bold energy progress in Pennsylvania in 2025, Potential Energy created a narrative platform for engaging labor that can be replicated in other states.
Creative.
To show labor’s pivotal role in clean energy, we looked to the workers helping drive the transition. Our creative output focused on three skilled tradesmen – Paul, Alex, and Jim. Their firsthand experience lent credibility to the campaign, helping to generate support among other union members.
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We can solve this together.
Potential Energy collaborates with partners across the climate sector and marketing industry to reach the most people with the most effective climate narratives.
