To encourage the wider community to reduce their CO2e emissions, it is critical to actively engage them. Moreover, it is important that Charlotte can communicate to the world that it is a sustainable and resilient city with an eye on the future. This requires a branding campaign that can grow with it.
Step 1: Identify team
The team needs to be representative of the larger community, non-profit, and business interests. This team will comprise a chair from CREDIT and include cross-sector representatives that represent the City, community, arts and science, and hospitality and tourism industries.
Step 2: Set up organizational mechanisms for branding team and formalize purpose
It is recommended that the branding team is structured and assigned clear roles and responsibilities. There will be many organizations and individuals involved so having a clear, common understanding is important to the smooth running of the campaign. This will help to manage expectations.
Step 3: Establish list of initiatives and engagement
Create an interactive and informative SEAP website. Together with video releases and updates, promote the ‘5 Steps to Zero Carbon’ diagram and the ‘Charlotte Stakeholder Engagement’ tool, to show how organizations and individuals can get involved. In order to encourage ongoing sign-up to the SEAP, it is recommended that the SEAP website be a source for training materials, guides to best practices, guidance on how to reduce personal emissions, and companies that specialize in low carbon technologies, and be incorporated into Charlotte travel guides. The SEAP also highlights specific opportunities for engagement and explains issues of concern and priority actions. The City will host a dashboard for emissions data that will highlight the progress being made in achieving the emissions targets.
Step 4: Agree on communication performance metrics
There are different performance metrics in this space. These include Charlotte, the State, the wider US, and international audiences. The intended audience should be considered when using topic specific language to promote Charlotte as an aspiring world leader in this space.