“Moms are experiencing this. They’re seeing their kids struggle with breathing. They’re seeing this increase in the acute symptoms of asthma,” Asche said. “What we’re trying to do is connect it back to this reality. This thing that you’re experiencing is real. By the way, it’s getting worse because of climate change.”
Messaging that inspires action
These ads, created by Potential Energy’s in-house creative team, have an emotionality that will likely be attention-grabbing. But when it comes to inspiring action, which is at the heart of the group’s mission, the spots could end up getting in their own way.
“It’s called prevention versus promotion focus,” said Christie Nordhielm, marketing professor at Georgetown University.
While prevention-focused ads are effective at convincing people to stop or avoid doing something, promotion-focused ads (like this one) are most effective at inspiring people to take action—even if that action is as small as logging onto a website.
“Prevention-focused ads, where the consequences are highlighted—it tends to freeze people and it tends to reduce action,” Nordhielm explained. “If you want them to do something, it needs to be upbeat and positive and give people a feeling of control.”
Still, Asche said Potential Energy tested hundreds of ads to arrive at the final spots, which began running this week in Arizona, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, North Carolina and Georgia. The $2 million ad buy includes placements on YouTube, Hulu, TikTok, Instagram, out-of-home and several local TV and radio stations.
As the year progresses—and climate-related disasters inevitably hit regions of the U.S.—the group aims to evolve the campaign by immediately responding with relevant messaging in local markets, connecting community-level impacts to the larger crisis and need for action, Asche said.
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