EDELMAN CREATIVE BRIEF
Client: (Regional Insurance Company)
Date Issued: 5.13.19
Project: Wildfire Video
Author: Carter + Houston
IN SHORT:
Get (The client)’s employees
To take pride in the innovative work (they do) to protect NW communities from the increased risk of wildfires
By creating a video series that positions (the client) as regional wildfire experts taking proactive steps to reduce the financial and environmental impacts of longer and more dangerous wildfire seasons.
Task: Develop two strong concepts that include owned/earned/paid distribution recommendations and success criteria for videos – ideally three – in support of their ‘proactive efforts on wildfire prevention and education.’
They should include:
Title
Video treatment
Supporting write-up
Sample visuals demonstrating flow of story*
Edelman will include a distribution and measurement recommendation for the video(s). This includes:
Proposed mediums and channels for publishing
Specific KPIs to measure success
Owned, earned and paid components
The two concepts will be shared with the client via PowerPoint (PPT) deck. They will have two rounds of review and input before final approval.**
* If the visuals need to be purchased or will need license for use, additional budget will be required which will be outlined in an Amendment to this SOW or new SOW.
** In the second round of review, the final distribution recommendation, KPIs, initial execution budget and production approach will be shared.
Background: In early 2017, (the client) made the difficult decision to drop coverage of several (Removed) County customers due to increased risks of wildfire in the area. (An) Insurance Commissioner (name removed) pointed out at the time, such decisions are not out of the ordinary for insurance companies. The commissioner added that he’d like to see companies forced to make these choices work with those customers to help prevent the risk of fire damage to their properties.
That’s exactly what (the client) has done (and had actually started in 2015). They’ve become regional experts on wildfire prevention through partnerships with firefighters from the (Removed) County fire district, the (local university’s) School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, and (a private wildfire defense company). (The client) has gone to great lengths to spread the word, from generating blog and video content to making appearances on local news stations and hosting community panels. Our work should draw on these partnerships to inspire internal audiences, instilling pride for the work (they have) done to ‘defend your Northwest.’
Objective:
Explore the proactive measures (the client) has taken to understand and address the increased risk of wildfires through partnerships and community engagement.
Increase employee pride by drawing attention to the abovementioned measures.
Raise executive visibility of (name removed) for internal and external audiences by positioning him as a key driver in (the client’s) wildfire prevention efforts.
Audience:
Primary Audience: employees and potential employees
Secondary Audience: Concerned Americans – more than regional, not just (the client’s) customers or potential customers – this subject has nationwide visibility and this larger audience is just as important as employees (especially as our general awareness influences pride for employees)
Category Truth: Americans are anxious about the increased risk of wildfires. They feel at the mercy of longer and more volatile wildfire seasons. They are desperate for solutions to safeguard their properties and surrounding community and may not recognize the efficacy of preventative behaviors.
While preparing a property for wildfire season may seem overwhelming and futile, (the client’s) proactive efforts to encourage policyholders to think “lean, clean and green” (hyperlink removed) to reduce fire fuel and structural flammability have gone a long way to alleviate anxiety and empower communities to feel in control of their safety.
Cultural Tension: In a highly politicized space (e.g., climate change, privatized fire services, etc.), (the client) has focused efforts on protecting properties and communities while advocating for members.
Guiding Insight: Home owner / resident anxiety around the increased risk of wildfire stems from a perceived lack of control over the safety of their properties and communities. Preventative behaviors help alleviate that anxiety by putting them in control with proven methods to limit their vulnerability.
Strategy: We will create compelling concepts with strong earned, owned and paid components to help (the client) foment pride in internal audiences by demonstrating (their) wildfire expertise. We will need to refrain from being overly self-serving to ensure authentic traction with external audiences. (The client will also communicate via internal channels.)
Reasons to Believe: (The client) has already produced a (name and link removed) video series that includes a short doc with interviews from the very community in which they had to drop coverage. They’ve partnered with the aforementioned groups to become a regional resource for wildfire prevention and education.
What We Need: Two strong concepts for owned video content that will instill pride in internal audiences and improve external brand sentiment – ideally three videos – with distribution strategies inclusive of measurement and a channel recommendation with owned, earned and paid components.
Metrics: Lift in awareness of (the client’s) wildfire prevention initiatives among customers and (their) employees (video views, social engagement, Pulse survey results). Edelman should be concerned with metrics around customer awareness, but (the client) will own anything employee related.
Thought starters:
The best ideas will inspire internal audiences and instill pride in (the client) as a ‘Defender of your Northwest.’ Ideally, our concepts will be equal parts employee motivation and boon to external reputation.
We should explore what merits a true docuseries v. an educational video/series.
We can also explore the intersection of (the client’s) wildfire prevention efforts and scientifically backed, ecological best practices. Preventative behaviors aimed at protecting properties and communities are equally effective at maintaining forest ecosystems. Furthermore, they have a far less negative impact on the environment than logging / thinning forests as advocated by the timber industry.
Research:
U.S. Forest Service resources
Firewise resources
Firewise and Climate Change
Forest thinning and Climate Change
(The client’s) Climate Change messaging
(hyperlink removed)
“I could spark a debate by addressing how climate change has worsened Northwest wildfire risk. But no need to go there – an authority on fires, the U.S. Forest Service, points to another key factor in our challenge. For decades, it was believed that suppressing fire as soon as it's detected is the best way to protect people and property. As explained on its website, the Forest Service has since altered its approach.
When we see fire, our first response is to put it out. For decades, the Forest Service has done just that when it came to wildland fires. But science has changed the way we think about wildland fire and the way we manage it. We still suppress fires, especially if they threaten people and communities, but we understand that fire has a role in nature – one that can lead to healthy ecosystems. So we look for ways to manage it to play its role, for instance, by igniting prescribed fires."
(hyperlink removed)
“As environmental stewards, we are thoughtful consumers of resources and materials so future generations have access to the same variety of materials we do.
We seek to address climate change through knowledge of climate risks that directly affect our customers, stakeholders and insurance products.
Climate volatility means we must keep current with changes in climate policy, technology and physical risks. Our risk management approach considers the changing severity and frequency of weather-related natural events.”