Introducing...the latest and greatest tool in the PR factory - the tuna can.
Using tuna cans, Richard French & Associates (RF&A) changed the water usage habits of roughly 90,000 residents in Cary, N.C. Well, at least that was a central component in a campaign with a limited budget of $40,000.
Here's how it started. The Town of Cary was experiencing rapid population growth as North Carolina's "Research Triangle" (comprising Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill) was gaining a reputation as a great place to live. In early 1998, Cary officials were concerned about the strain that this growth would put on the town's natural resources - particularly water. To top it off, the town was expecting one of its driest summers since the 1930s.
One option was to enact mandatory water restrictions on town residents. Another option was to use a strategic PR plan to change behavior in the community. Jennifer Platt, Cary's water conservation specialist, opted for the latter and called RF&A.
The water conservation program that emerged two months later - known as "Beat the Peak" - included six components, of which the "Tuna Can Plan" was one.
A Can-Do Initiative
A tuna can is one-inch deep - the equivalent of the amount of water a lawn needs in one week to stay green and healthy. To prevent residents from over-watering their lawns, municipal employees distributed tuna cans to serve as a gauge of proper watering, along with a "Lawn Watering Guide," in tandem with garbage and recycling collection. The same information was presented to large irrigation customers, property managers and landscaping companies, as well as teachers in area schools.
Securing the support of influential community members was another key campaign component. RF&A initiated a Block Leader Program (modeled after Neighborhood Watch programs), comprising a network of community contacts who could be deployed as a "rapid response team" to distribute conservation information quickly.
Ads placed in local newspapers invited interested residents to one of several training sessions. The block leaders then distributed conservation materials at homeowner's association meetings, cookouts and other community events. Block leaders also served as vocal spokespersons and helped educate residents about proper watering habits. A total of 113 Cary residents became block leaders (98 percent are assuming the same role this year), and roughly 3,000 homes, or 12 percent of Cary's water customers received information distributed by block leaders.
Reaching Home Base
Another key player: pizza delivery shops. Several restaurants volunteered to distribute a water conservation flyer along with pizzas delivered during June, July and August. A total of 15,000 households and businesses received tip sheets this way.
On the media end, RF&A issued press releases highlighting proper watering techniques, plants that require little water, sustainable landscapes, landscape design ideas, and tips for reducing water bills. Releases were mailed once a month for five months. Four local newspapers picked up the material, resulting in $182,741 worth of page space on a 3:1 ad equivalency basis ($60,913 on a 1:1 basis).
The tips found in the press releases also were reformatted as bill-stuffers and mailed in residents' water bills to 27,000 households. And a Web site (http://www.ci.cary.nc.us) offered updates from a local TV station's weather department about rain levels, soil saturation, and projected rain fall. The site also featured a daily watering guide and other conservation advice.
Kinks in the Pipeline
RF&A ran into one snag when its plan to secure a donation of tuna cans from Star-Kist fell through. "This put a huge strain on the program, because the core of the program hinged on use of the cans," says Lauren Taylor, VP media relations for the agency. "Smith Container in Atlanta ended up producing the water cans for us, but we did have to pay for them, further limiting our budget."
In the end, however, the added expense paid for itself. In launching the plan, Cary officials anticipated that water usage would peak at 20.4 million gallons in 1998. The actual peak was slightly lower - at 20.2 million.
The town also monitored the habits of its top 50 residential users of water from 1997 to 1998. Members of that group reduced their outdoor water waste by 40 percent in 1998. These environmental savings occurred despite the fact that the town of Cary gained 2,000 additional residential and commercial customers during the same time period.
"Beat the Peak" went on to win awards from the Environmental Protection Agency, IABC and PRSA. "Still, the most gratifying thing is knowing that we changed people's behavior and to be able to see the change," says agency president Rick French - a Cary resident.
The program is now serving as a model for adoption in other communities by the National League of Municipalities.
(RF&A, 919/832-6300; Platt, 919/462-3872)
Agency Snapshot
Richard French & Associates
HQ: Raleigh, NC
Founded: 1997
Employees: 25
Billings: $2.5 million
Clients: Wrangler, ITT Automotive, Lee Apparel Company, Jantzen, Inc., Time Warner Communications