Friends of the Earth It Begins Where It Ends
A Campaign on a Mission for Renewal
It Begins
Where it Ends...
Table of Contents 1.0 Research
3.0 Style Guide
1.1 Company Profile 1.2 Competitive Analysis 1.3 Swot Analysis 1.4 Creative Brief 1.5 Target
3.1 Brand Description 3.2 Logo Usage 3.3 Typography 3.4 Color Palette 3.5 Visual Elements
2.0 Creative Process
4.0 Final Designs
2.1 Toolbox 2.2 Mood board 2.3 Logo Development
4.1 Deliverables 4.2 References
1.0
Research
1.1 Company Profile 1.2 Competitive Analysis 1.3 SWOT Analysis 1.4 Creative Brief 1.5 Target
1.1 Company Profile Friends of the Earth, established in 1969, is a non-profit organization for global issues. Friends of the Earth is the only non-profit global issues organization that use a variety of tactics like policy analysis, grassroots activism, litigation, and creative communications for their campaigns in order to create positive change. FoE has two distinct organizations within itself known as Trust and Limited. Both organizations are invested in “the protection and improvement of the environment, a good life for everyone who lives on our planet, and a green economy that respects the limit of the natural world.� (What We Do.). Most of the work, like campaigning, research, education and publishing, is carried out by Friends of the Earth Trust, however when the main method of campaigning is political, like influencing political parties, this is carried out by Friends of the Earth Limited in support of Friends of the Earth Trust. The purpose of both organizations are significant because charities are only allowed to campaign politically as long as it doesn’t become the main way they work. Currently, there are four program fields that FoE focuses on including Climate and Energy, Food and Technology, Ocean and Forest, and Economic Policy.
Campaign Goals
The goals of the Friends of the Earth Campaign will be to : -Create a new look and feel that enhances the essence of the brand. -Increase awareness on special programs that have been implemented as well as the issues circling the four project platforms. -Introduce more interactive vices that cater to the target market. -Generate more funds through donations. -Help FoE gain a competitive edge over industry competitors.
1.2 Competitive Analysis State of the Industry and Relevant Issues: “The climate is changing. The Earth is warming up, and there is now overwhelming scientific consensus that it is happening, and human-induced. With global warming on the increase and species and their habitats on the decrease, chances for ecosystems to adapt naturally are diminishing. Many agree that climate change may be one of the greatest threats facing the planet. Recent years show increasing temperatures in various regions, and/or increasing extremities in weather patterns.� (Shah, A). Climate change is not the only issue. Toxic chemicals and unhealthy additives in our food, deforestation due to our luxurious ways of living, and the high-carbon economy are also to blame for the state of the Earth.
Competitor A: National Resources Defense Council Industry Ranking: #1 (Philanthropedia.org) Similarities to Competitors: • Shares the same priority issues as competitors • Attempts in using social media for advertising • Target market has the same values Differences from Competitors: • Fostering sustainable communities • Implementing sustainable transportation for California • Has become a credible force
Competitor C: World Resources Institute Industry Ranking: #5 (Philanthropedia.org) Similarities to Competitors: • Shares the same priority issues as competitors • Attempts in using social media for advertising • Target market has the same values Differences from Competitors: • Has a brand website for donors and stakeholders use • Offers a five year strategic plan • Made it a goal to harness markets and enterprise to expand economic opportunity and protect the environment.
Competitor B: Sierra Club Industry Ranking: #4 (Philanthropedia.org) Similarities to Competitors: • Shares the same priority issues as competitors • Attempts in using social media for advertising • Target market has the same values Differences from Competitors: • Offers wilderness outings (vacations) • Methods of encouragement to followers • Democratic affiliation • Dedication to educating youth
Competitor D: Greenpeace Industry Ranking: #10 (Philanthropedia.org) Similarities to Competitors: • Shares the same priority issues as competitors • Attempts in using social media for advertising • Target market has the same values Differences from Competitors: • Use peaceful protest and creative communication • Offers a semester program for students • Prides themselves with being an independent organization
1.3 Swot Analysis
1.4 Creative Brief Positioning and Value Proposition Friends of the Earth has two distinct organizations within itself. One is called FoE Trust. The Trust organization focuses on campaigning, research, education and publishing. The second organization is called FoE Limited. This one focuses on the influence of political parties. Sustainable Competitive Advantage FoEUS can become more sustainable over time and have an advantage over competitors by implemented things like: • Lifestyle programs • Youth and education programs • More relevant advertisements • An up-to-date website • A new way to inform members on issues Goal/Vision for Promoting the Brand in the Campaign Project (Big Idea) Some initial ideas or themes for the Friends of the Earth campaign were: • “It starts where it ends” It starts where it ends is a play off of the “O” logo being a circle which represents a start and an end, recycling, and wholeness. Saving the earth starts with ending the global issues. • “Be a statistic” FoEUK has a bar with the number of people who took action on a particular issue or campaign. This idea inspired “Be a Statistic” in the manner of “join the rest and save the planet type of way”, while using the running number bar.
Backing up research According to a graphic designed by MDG Advertising, non-profit organizations have successfully increased their presence on social network cites within the last year, and as a result, it has increased donations and awareness on issues the organizations support. In addition, researchers also found that people react positively to seeing friends post charitable donations or even mentioning issues or specific organizations. This is a great example to demonstrate the importance of integrating social media networks into Friends of the Earth’s campaign in order to accomplish the campaign goals of: -Increasing brand awareness -Increasing funds through donations -Increasing memberships.
1.5 Target Market There are three distinct target markets for FoE to appeal to.
The first market is youth, ranging from ages 6 to 17 years of age. The second market will be the general population of those inspired to save the earth. The third market is potential stakeholders, donors, and policy makers.
2.0
Creative
2.1 Toolbox 2.2 Moodboard 2.3 Logo Development
2.1 Toolbox When focusing on the theme of the organization, the words bold, unite, renew, and modern were chosen. The new campaign will inspire a new and improved lifestyle that is eco-friendly. To accomplish this, images that gave a more modern and unified feel, a bold typography, and a refreshed color scheme were used. The toolbox displayed to the right is a reflection of the moodboard and serves as a briefing on the basic elements for the “look and feel� of the organization.
2.2 Moodboard The moodboard was created for the majority of the FoE target market. Its bright colors, clean layout, and elemental graphics are designed to bring energy and enjoyment to the audience. The body copy states “Fight today for a better tomorrow”. This statement can be used for a tagline or a call to action statement. Either way, it allows the viewer to think about their carbon footprint and how they can help save the world through their own actions. If they act now, they can help prevent further problems. The images used, along with the color palette, are all an extension of the four project platforms. The correlations between them are as follows: Yellow: Climate and Energy (Image of the leaf with a power plant cut-out) Orange: Food and Technology (Image of rotten apples) Blue: Ocean and Forests (Image of jelly fish) Green: Economics for the Earth (Image of the girl playing) The headline and body copy use Gloucester MT Extra Condensed font to give a professional, yet friendlier impression. The informative font is Helvetica and is used to bring a modern feel. The music choice is Rihanna’s “We All Want Love”. This song could be used with the course or even just the instrumental piece. This song is a good choice because the instrumental piece gives off a “united in peace and harmony” feel and being that the artist is Rihanna, she is current and identifiable to the target market. The chorus, “Everybody wants something, gotta want something, what are you living for? Everybody needs something, fighting for something, I know what you’re fighting for, Cause we all…we all want love” is a great way for the market to ask themselves “what am I fighting for?” and decide to take action.
“Branded entertainment needs to be developed from the brand up rather than from the entertainment down. In other words, the content must “connect with the target audience,” he added, which must also perceive the content as “authentic to the brand.” (Stuart, E).
2.3 Logo Development Friends of the Earth’s current logo was a circle with the organization name to the right of the brand mark. The color scheme was synonymous with competitors in the industry and the circle was not a clear translation of the services provided by the organization. The new logo embraces parts of the old logo but with a more modern and bold look. The circle was integrated into the new logo in order to maintain the symbolism of “the circle of life� and the font was kept to the right of the brand mark for familiarity with current members. Because FoE focuses on four major project platforms, the four brand marks associated with the platforms were integrated into the main brand mark. The new color palette helped with differentiation.
Previous logo and competitor logos
Ideations and Final drafts
3.0 Style Guide 3.1 Logo Usage 3.2 Typography 3.3 Color Palette 3.4 Visual Elements
3.1 Logo Usage It is important that the logo be sized as specified in order to prevent distortion of the logo and to maintain legibility. The logo should never be smaller than the given minimum size. When it comes to spacing, the capital “E� from Earth is used as an example of an appropriate amount space from objects place aside of the logo. This is to ensure that there won’t be any objects that obstruct the logo or confuse the audience with thinking the object is apart of the logo. This will also help with placement on print media.
Former Logo
New Logo with color
Friends of the Earth It Begins Where It Ends
New Logo in black and white
Abbreviated version
The tagline is to be centered under the large logotype. The bottom of the tagline should fall 1cm above the bottom of the brand mark.
The minimum size of the logo is 3” wide by 1” long. If the logo is made smaller, then it becomes illegible.
The abbreviated logo consists of the “F” and “E” from the regular logo with the brand mark in the center for the “O”. The bottom of all three should line up across the bottom.
3.2 Typography For the logotype, the font Gloucester MT Extra Condensed is used in order to create a more friendly feel. The curvature of the letters are playful but still very professional and bold. Friends of the Earth is often abbreviated to FoE, so the font needed to have very bold and professional letters when in caps. The tagline and body copy use the font Helvetica to ensure that the body copy will be legible and give a modern look. Helvetica is a widely used font so its accessibility is great. The voice for Friends of the Earth is to remain friendly and professional. It should be informative and welcoming to new members.
Gloucester MT Extra Condensed ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890 Helvetica Regular ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890
Helvetica Bold ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890 Headline:
“Bees are essential for one out of three bites of food we eat.” -Friends of the Earth Body copy: Tell hardware stores to stop selling bee-killing pesticides.
3.3 Color Palette
Like the brand mark, the color palette for Friends of the Earth is inspired by the project platforms. The full color logo should always consist of a black logo type and each element is to remain in its associated color. For example, the sun should always be yellow, the wave should be blue, the wheat should be orange, and the leaf is green. The circle should also remain grey so that the other four colors remain a focus.
C:6 M:35 Y:100 K:01 R:236 G:171 B:31 PMS: P14-8C
C:80 M:0 Y:91 K:0 R:5 G:176 B:87 PMS: P142-7C
C:64 M:3 Y: 38 K:0 R:85 G:187 B:174 PMS: P130-5C
C:0 M:79 Y:91 K:0 R:240 G:92 B:47 PMS: P37-8C C:62 M:54 Y:53 K:26 R:93 G:93 B:93 PMS: P14-8C
3.4 Visual Elements
The images for Friends of the Earth are used to inspire the organization’s target market therefore they should be chosen with care. All of the images should be in vivid colors. Nature inspired photos may be used but are not required. FoE focuses on real problems so the photos of people should be realistic and natural and within the designated target market. The focus needs to be on the person or persons in the photo and the image must reflect the values of the brand. For other images that may be used in advertising, the photos should utilize vivid colors, surround issues concerning the organizations, and may be creative but still informative and inspiring.
4.0 Final Designs 4.1 Campaign Deliverables 4.2 References
Website The main focus of media is the website. The website is more informative and tailored to the target market’s psychographics. As Alina Wheeler states, “The best websites understand their customers and respect their needs and preferences. Websites are increasingly used as portals for media tools.” (Wheeler 152). The new website will serve as a hub for the other media types. The website will display videos or documentaries that cover the issues that the organization supports. The website also has links to the organization’s social media and will be accessible through mobile devices. The website was up-dated with a bold color scheme and modern layout. The navigation bar has a drop menu that allows for easy navigation and also draws the viewer’s attention to the donate button and action center. In the top right corner, there is a counter that encourages the viewer to “Take Action” by signing petitions for projects. The bottom left side displays images that discuss the projects with details below. The linear design leads the viewer’s eyes to the project menu on the right side. This will be where the members can find additional resources and local events. Below is a list of links that the viewer can click on to visit the organization’s social media pages.
The current FoE website is plain and average. It lacks creativity, and individuality.
The new look is bold, refreshed, modern, and stands out amongst competitors.
Blog The current blog for FoE was very plain and basic. The blog should be more exciting and make the targeted audience want to read the post. The blog could use more color along with more images and videos. One of the bigger markets for the organization thrive off of photos and videos so it would be a great way for them to get involved and have a reason to continue visiting the site.
Video FOE videos will be used on several other forms of media. They will be placed on the blog, Facebook, the website, and mobile applications. The videos will serve as an informative device for the project platforms.
Social Media According to Alina Wheeler, “Word of mouth has become word of mouse” (Wheeler 72). People aren’t just verbally talking anymore, they are tweeting and posting comments on blogs, and Facebook, and Twitter. People are communicating through technology more than person-to-person. Social media accounts like Twitter and Facebook will promote mobile apps. Mobile apps will focus on providing local resources, event information, and other interactive ideas. It is also an easy way to link affiliates and other great resources. FoE will be utilizing the “Share” button to expand the brand throughout the other social media apps as well as through video. The information available for sharing should be attention grabbing facts and articles.
“Word of mouth has become word of mouse”
Facebook is one of the biggest social medias since 2004. Even though it started off as a mingle site for college students, it has grown to a way to advertise businesses to hundreds of people in a matter of minutes. Facebook is a great way for FoE members to become informed on issues, help advertise, find information for events, and link to other affiliated sources like FoE.org. Also, because Facebook now has a mobile app, it is easier for members to gain access to the site. Twitter would be a great way to inform the younger target market on current events and to place call to action phrases because it short and to the point for their impatient attention span or on-the-go demeanor.
Mobile Apps Since cell phones have taken over the world, most social media creators and designers have adapted. Now, all forms of media presented can be accessed and shared via mobile applications. FoE members can watch Youtube videos, view RSS feeds, websites, access and update social media apps, and most importantly, share the information with others.
Print Media
Print media may include the organization’s bi-monthly magazine, flyers during protest and petitioning events. Other print will include print on paraphernalia that support green habits like 100% cotton apparel, water bottles, stickers, canvas or burlap bags, etc. Print will also include brochures, letterheads, and postcards.
Print Media Continued Additional forms of printing that will be introduced are green paraphernalia products like organic fiber apparel, re-usable bottles and bags, and logo stickers or buttons.
4.2 References Aardvark, T. (2012, October 2). Friends Of The Earth Plan Extreme Weather Attribution Campaign [Photograph]. Retrieved from http://toryaardvark. com/2012/10/02/friends-of-the-earth-plan-extreme-weather-attribution-campaign/ Creedon, A. (2012, December). NPQ Newswire: The Demographics of Users of Social Media, Infographic: Social Media’s Impact on Giving in 2012. Retrieved September 22, 2013, from http://www.nonprofitquarterly.org/policysocial-context/21507-infographic-social-medias-impact-on-giving-in-2012.html Elliot, S. (2009, February 5). Commercials and Musicians Share the Need to Be Heard. Retrieved April 24, 2013, from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/06/business/ media/06adco.html?_r=1& Foggin, V. (n.d.). Dead Apple | Flickr - Photo Sharing!. Welcome to Flickr - Photo Sharing. Retrieved May 6, 2013, from http://www.flickr.com/photos/47475817@N0 Get Involved [Photograph]. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/ faqs/getinvolved.html Habub3. (2009, August 9). Butterfly [Photograph]. Retrieved from http://www.flickr. com/photos/26907150@N08/3890430978/in/photostream/ Laura. (2006, March 29). Bubble Dance [Photograph]. Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/moonjuice/120162985/in/photostream/ “Leafs cut outs - CO2.” creoflick.net. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 May 2013. <http://creoflick.net/creo/Leafs-cut-outs-1427>.
Parkin, S. (n.d.). Australian Coal Trains Halted by People Power [Photograph]. Retrieved from http://www.coal-is-dirty.com/category/coal-tags/global-warming?page=1 Ryan, D. (2004, November 25). Return for Refund [Photograph]. Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/djames1313/67358761/ Shah, A. (2012, March 5). Climate Change and Global Warming Introduction. Retrieved February 23, 2013, from http://www.globalissues.org/issue/178/climatechange-and-global-warming TorresOne, J. A. (2012, January 22). Rihanna-We All Want Love (lyrics) [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHro6KsmcaI Verbruggen, S. (2011, December). UK petition urging FIT proposal rethink delivered to Downing Street [Photograph]. Retrieved from http://www.pv-magazine.com/news/ details/beitrag/uk-petition-urging-fit-proposal-rethink-delivered-to-downing-street What We Do. (n.d.). Retrieved March 14, 2013, from http://www.foe.co.uk/what_ we_do_index.html Wheeler, Alina. Designing Brand Identity: An Essential Guide for the Whole Branding Team, 3rd Edition. John Wiley & Sons (P&T). <vbk:9780470886397#outline(2.10.6)>. Young Friends of the Earth Europe [Photograph]. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www. foeeurope.org/node/1010
Start Today for a Better
Tomorrow
Friends of the Earth It Begins Where It Ends
Friends of the Earth U.S. Washington DC | Berkeley CA 1-877-843-8687 See more at: http://www.foe.org