The Chesapeake Club Initiative: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

1. The Chesapeake Club Initiative:Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration Christopher Conner Chesapeake Bay Program February 17, 2005 Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

2. Why a Chesapeake Club? Bay restoration is at a critical juncture • The bay watershed’s population is growing • New nutrient and sediment reduction goals are extremely ambitious • Suburban & urban nutrient loads are quickly growing • Long-term sustainability of the bay will require changes to “business as usual” Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

3. Why a Chesapeake Club? Population Growth • Watershed population is projected to grow from 16 million today to 18 million by 2030 To accommodate this growth, we are clearing forests, paving farm fields and expanding our urban & suburban environment. Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

4. Why a Chesapeake Club? Nutrient pollution reduction goals will be incredibly tough to meet By 2010, we need to nearly double nutrient pollution reductions achieved since 1985. Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

5. Why a Chesapeake Club?... Where’s the pollution coming from? We need to look everywhere for potential pollution reductions. Estimated Sources of Nitrogen Pollution to the Bay 1985 2002 Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

6. Why a Chesapeake Club? We’ve asked many stakeholders to do their part • Wastewater Treatment Plants • Farmers • Waterman • Construction • Government Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

7. Why a Chesapeake Club? Now we’re asking average citizens to do their part too. Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

8. What is Chesapeake Club? Chesapeake Club is a new outreach initiative designed to engage a new audience about the Bay… people not necessarily moved by environmental motives. The Challenge: The environment is not everyone’s primary concern The Solution: Engage them through other means Chesapeake Club is about outreach, not in-reach. Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

9. What is Chesapeake Club? It’s different than traditional public awareness campaigns • Awareness is important, but it’s not enough Campaign is based on social marketing principles • Campaign strives to change behavior in exchange for a special benefit to the individual • Relies on individual self-interest • Most effective way to achieve what we are looking for… actual behavior change Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

10. What is Chesapeake Club? Chesapeake Club was developed through the Chesapeake Bay Program partnership in cooperation with the Academy for Educational Development Campaign funding comes from: • Commonwealth of Virginia • District of Columbia • U.S. EPA Chesapeake Bay Program Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

11. What is Chesapeake Club? Chesapeake Club aims to engage people through a love of the “Chesapeake Lifestyle” • Connects with their desire to use the Bay for recreation • Promotes the Bay as a “get away” from urban life • Capitalizes on the love of its seafood While people may care about the Bay’s environmental health, it is not always the strongest driving factor in their decision making Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

12. Why Focus on Lawn Care? While we regularly promote many different Bay-friendly actions, the initial phase of the campaign focuses on lawn care • High potential for significant nutrient pollution reduction • A behavior change we can influence • Provided we offer a good alternative • Lawn care actions can be part of their existing lifestyle • Public behavior seen by others • Challenges social norms Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

13. Why Focus on the Washington area? The Washington-metro area will serve as the pilot market for the initiative • Previous survey work showed activist potential • 2002 Chesapeake Bay Program/Virginia Tech Survey of Bay Watershed Residents • High level of concern • High interest in getting involved • Uncertainty about how to get involved • It’s a large media market • Reaches citizens in three Bay Program partner jurisdictions Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

14. A couple of Washington facts… Washington Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area (PMSA) Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

15. A couple of Washington facts… • About 1.96 million households • Estimated “lawn” area of 530,000 acres • Current estimated annual nitrogen load to local water bodies about 4.7 million pounds • Current estimated annual phosphorus load to local water bodies about 560,000 pounds Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

16. A couple of Washington facts… Suburban and urban nutrient management in this area could: • reduce annual nitrogen loads to an estimated 3.9 million pounds • 800,000 pound reduction • Reduce annual phosphorus loads to an estimated 430,000 pounds • 120,000 pound reduction Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

17. The Washington-area Campaign... Primary Goals • Encourage Washington-area homeowners to skip spring lawn fertilizer and wait until the fall • Create a greater understanding of how individual actions impact local waters and the Bay • Attract new audiences to Bay restoration Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

18. The Washington-area Campaign… Four Key Components • Internet Presence • Restaurant Initiative • Professional Lawn Care Initiative • Paid Advertising Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

19. Internet Presence… www.chesapeakeclub.org Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

20. ChesapeakeClub.org… • Targeted toward people who have not yet realized a personal interest in the health of the Bay • First step to moving them to our interested public • It’s probably not “us” • Provides visitors with information about the “Chesapeake Lifestyle” • Does not preach “Bay health” to them, but invites them to learn more • Web content oriented toward primary campaign initiatives Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

21. ChesapeakeClub.org… • Content, Tone & Graphic Identity • Very different than other Bay Program sites • Written in a conversational manner • Users do not have to know about the Bay to engage with the site • Currently geared to Washington-area residents • Lifestyle Sections • “What People Care About” • Home • Food • Life Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

22. ChesapeakeClub.org… • Around the Home • Entertaining • Home Improvement • Yard Care • Lawn Services • Food • Recipes • Restaurants • Life • Daytrips • Romantic Getaways Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

23. The Washington Campaign… Restaurant Initiative: The Lunch You Save May Be Your Own Reaching People Through Their Seafood Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

24. The Lunch You Save May Be Your Own… • Connects individual actions to the health and availability of Bay seafood • Reaches people where they are experiencing an aspect of the Bay • Several Washington-area restaurants participating in the program at varying levels Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

25. The Lunch You Save May Be Your Own… • Chesapeake Club bar coasters with the “skip the fertilizer” message will be distributed at participating restaurants • Waitstaff will be able to answer patron question “What’s this Chesapeake Club thing?” • Head chefs are invited to take part in the kickoff event Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

26. Capital Grille McCormick & Schmick’s Blue Point Grill Balducci’s Market Johnny’s Half Shell J. Paul’s Kinkead’s The Lunch You Save May Be Your Own… Restaurants involved with Chesapeake Club include: • DC Coast • Fishmarket • Powtowmack Landing • Gauzuza • Gua Rapo • Russia House A complete list of participating partners is available at chesapeakeclub.org Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

27. The Washington-area Campaign… Chesapeake Club Lawn Care Program: A New Brand of Green Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

28. A New Brand of Green… • Professional lawn care providers are key stakeholders in reducing suburban & urban nutrient pollution • Pre-campaign survey shows 16% of Washington-area homeowners use professional services • Professionals have the ability to follow more detailed application guidelines • One properly trained professional can reach many homeowners • Chesapeake Club promotes a marketable product to professional lawn care providers that minimizes fertilizer’s impact on local waters Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

29. A New Brand of Green… To be part of the Chesapeake Club Lawn Care Program, companies must: • Keep fertilizer off any impervious surfaces • Meet specific nitrogen and phosphorus application criteria developed by Bay Program partners and industry representatives • Criteria limit the amount and timing of fertilizer applications throughout the year • Semi-annually report the area of lawn being serviced under the Chesapeake Club brand • Leave-behind Chesapeake Club lawn care materials Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

30. A New Brand of Green… Leave-behind materials link homeowner actions to the health of local seafood and the Bay Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

31. Serving Virginia Natural Lawns, Inc. Lawn Doctor Town and Country Landscaping Green Sun, Inc. Kingstowne Lawn & Landscape Twin Oaks Landscaping Serving the District of Columbia Natural Lawns, Inc. Bodkin Landscaping Serving Maryland Bay Country Natural Lawns Complete Plant Health Care Inc. Bodkin Landscaping Paradise Landscaping A New Brand of Green… Selected lawn care partners include: A complete list of participating partners is available at chesapeakeclub.org Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

32. The Washington-area Campaign… Reaching New Audiences Through Mass Media: The Lunch You Save May Be Your Own Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

33. Print Advertising… • Newspapers • Washington Post, Washington Post Express Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

34. Print Advertising… • Outdoor Ads • Union Station • Metro Stations • Metro Cars Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

35. Print Advertising… • Outdoor Ads • Union Station • Metro Stations • Metro Cars Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

36. Print Advertising… • Outdoor Ads • Union Station • Metro Stations • Metro Cars Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

37. Print Advertising… • Outdoor Ads • Union Station • Metro Stations • Metro Cars Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

38. Print Advertising… • Outdoor Ads • Union Station • Metro Stations • Metro Cars Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

39. Broadcast Advertising… • Television Spots • “Delicious” • “Sod” • “Appetizer” Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

40. Post-Campaign Follow-up • Post-campaign Evaluation • April/May 2005 • Replica of pre-campaign survey completed in May 2004 • Will allow us to assess behavior change and elevated awareness levels • Final Report • Possible STAC Workshop • Documentation for Future Work • Assess Future Campaigns Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

41. Additional Questions… Contact: Christopher Conner Chesapeake Bay Program Communications Office cconner@chesapeakebay.net 410-267-5758 Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration

42. Chesapeake Club: Bringing New Audiences to Bay Restoration