By Ann Barlow, GreenPepper
Today, our colleagues at RepMan and Pepperdigital wrote about a month-long series the latter, in conjunction with Upstream Asia, has begun concerning social media across cultures.
Turns out, not totally surprisingly, that while strong affinity groups have been created across cultures on everything from soccer to folk music, there are some strong differences, too. Of course, those differences aren’t just from country to country, but region to region within those countries.
For all communicators, this has some pretty serious implications – no less for those focused on environmental issues. We see this first hand with our global clients. What is considered progress in one part of the world is positively antediluvian in another. And what motivates one culture toward climate action – from an awakened sense of responsibility to business growth opportunities – varies widely. What we’ve learned is that overarching themes and messages can be universal, but submessages and tactics must fit the market. Ironically, this is where the rise of microtargeted media can actually help. That’s not to say, as the Pepperdigital team points out, that traditional media aren’t equally important. It’s more a case of understanding how we can use all forms of media to inform, persuade and engage people. When it comes to the environment, getting this right is not just important. The world depends on it.
