This is not my... Interview
 |
Ed Gillespie , Creative Director, Futerra
"Creative and Strategic Communications for Sustainable Development" |
How did Futerra come about?
I met Solitaire (co-founder) on the Forum for the Future Masters scheme.
We were both in agreement that environmental and sustainability communications seemed a little dull and often sanctimonious. We wanted to focus on ‘intelligent substitution’ rather than sacrifice and to look at what we can all do to make a difference in our lives without necessarily giving up all the things we value.
We were given some funding from NESTA to set up Futerra in 2001.
What does Futerra do?
Futerra does a wide range of things.
Roughly a third of our time is spent working with central government on strategy and increasing public understanding of sustainable development. One example would be the work we did for DEFRA on the national climate change communications strategy, one of the outputs of this strategy is this short film called Climate Challenge which you may have seen.
(If you haven't seen it on TV you can also view it here - it is really really good and definitely worth a watch - Susie)
Another third we spend with big business. For example, we have worked with Shell on their Springboard project which awards ‘no strings attached’ grants of up to £40,000 to small businesses with innovative ideas on tackling climate change.
This years winner was Barry
Johnstone of Scotrenewables for his ground-breaking tidal turbine design.
Finally we spend a third of our time with charities and smaller businesses. We help with everything from high level communications, research and message shaping to consultation, marketing, training, press, film making and event facilitation.
We don't really have 'off the shelf' packages. We want to be more creative than that and work with individual companies to develop the best way of achieving results.
One thing we have done though is to come up with 10 rules for communicating sustainable development:
- big picture: make connections, demonstrate long term thinking, blow myths
- technically correct: be trustworthy, provide transparency, give real facts
- be cool: be sexy, mainstream, non-patronising, brave - stand out!
- belong: join a massive worldwide change, start positive conformity, join a success
- only stories work: empathy and emotions are powerful, use stories to hold people's attention
- optimism: sustainable development is achievable, avoid too much guilt
- glory button: 'sustainable development makes you a great person and we love you for it'
- change is for all: break stereotypes, use inclusive language and images, push mass ownership
- we need more heroes: introduce icons to emulate - 'be like me'
- personal circle: relate big ideas to everyday life, give them a familiar context
What are Futerra's aims for the future?
Ultimately we want to prepare the public for radical policies from Government by changing attitudes to controversial issues such as climate change.
We want to give the Govenrment the confidence to be able to deliver bolder, braver legislation on environmental and social issues, knowing that the public will be more supportive of these initiatives.
We want to encourage a 'can do' attitude, the triumph of the possible.
I would like to start by creating a better understanding of carbon amongst the public – ‘carbon literacy’ if you like. At the moment, if people even know what it is, it is just seen as 'bad' but there hasn't been much explanation of what it actually is, how it is changing our atmosphere, what the implications of this really are and how we are generating carbon through the energy use in our lifestyles.
Lunch.....
It is possible that after that point we were side tracked by lunch which the Futerra team make a point of eating together.
Clearly since food had come into the equation writing notes was soon forgotten.
Discussions did though turn to anything and everything culminating in debate over the untapped charitable possibilities of auctioning celebrity wee...
But:
These guys are amazing and so if for any number of reasons you do want to know more about social development and how your company can work towards this - just give them a call.
Previous Interviews
 |
Author of '365 Ways to Change the World' |
 |
Co-founder of the Alliance Against Urban 4x4's
Which leads "a growing campaign uniting environmental, consumer, road safety groups and concerned individuals all over the UK." |
 |
Founder of slowlondon
"a community of people and ideas, to celebrate, inspire, bring everyone that little bit closer together (and have fun along the way)..." |
 |
Co-founder of: We Are What We Do A movement to" inspire people to use their everyday actions to change the world. Whoever they are. And wherever they are." |
 |
Author of "A Beginner's Guide to Changing the World; For Tibet, With Love"
Founder: Act for Tibet |
