[Editor’s Note: This post is by guest blogger Mandira Srivastava, a freelance writer specializing in business and marketing communication.]

Events like the global climate marches give people the plausible hope that something can be done. What messages do we need to send?

Almost all scientists and people around the world agree that climate change presents dire new risks and vulnerabilities for urban and rural dwellers alike. Clearly, we need to frame messages that can inspire and persuade in the right direction.

To demand and implement urgent action on climate change and increase pressure on. The Global Climate Action Summit (being held Sept 12-14 in San Francisco), activists and demonstrators across the globe poured into the streets on Sept. 8. According to organizers, over 900 marches, concerts, teach-ins, rallies, voter registration drives, town halls, and the world’s largest street mural brought out more than 30,000 people in San Francisco — alongside at least 250,000 around the world.

In the US, the marches were dubbed “Rise for Climate, Jobs, and Justice”, convened by The People’s Climate Movement. (PCM). Their focus? Push government authorities to create new policies to prevent or cope with the worse effects of climate change.

Hmmm…. another protest, another climate conference – is it really something different this time? How will these marches change our behaviors and inspire us to conduct “greener” lives and businesses? How can we promote a non-partisan attitude with slogans we carry at these marches?

To attract a wide range of marchers, People’s Climate Movement organizers designed constructive, persuasive messages about climate change. They realized that no matter how witty, satiric, or ironic a slogan is, it will not serve its purpose if it fails to ignite a sense of urgency for positive action to curb worsening climate change.

Creating quality climate change messages can take a lot of time, as it involves in-depth knowledge of policy-based strategies and real-world applications. Always ask these important questions before drafting messages:

• Who is your target audience?
• What do they care about?
• Are you using concrete, positive terms that are familiar to them, or just jargon?
• Can your message go viral?

Remember, there is no magic formula to create wonderful messages/slogans. You need to use the right language, pictures, videos, popular metaphors and catchy phrases to create stories that may touch millions of hearts. Let’s check out some examples of message framing and how to use visual design to frame a message for greater impact.

Here is the top-level frame created by PCM:

We are at a crossroads.

Our planet, livelihoods, and democracy are under attack.

To change everything, we need everyone:

In the streets, at the ballot box, and beyond.

Notice how it is simple, direct, and inclusive. The audience here is people who might be encouraged to attend the march. But the message also encourages them to vote thoughtfully in the next U.S. elections in November and beyond.

PCM goes on to provide an in-depth list of talking points and shorter messages and a guide to making posters, images, and info-graphics. They even host a calendar of related events. This type of extensive communications effort is impressive, and helps articulate a common set of concepts.

Here are a few spotted at the San Francisco march:

 

 

 

 

 

 

As described in her piece on this topic, Susan Strong of the Mataphor Project notes that event organizers need to use colloquially “American” language in framing their slogans. These messages identify the problem, offer a solution, and tell audiences what they can do — all by using familiar metaphors that make abstract topics more understandable.

For example, Strong recommends slogans and march signs that “repeat, expand, and colorfully spell out or picture our American right to a safe, livable climate.”

Also, because the US is governed by laws to try to ensure fairness and equality of opportunity for all, Strong recommends saying things like “Restore/Bring back/ Save/Protect the rules that keep America clean/ safe/ protected.”

 What do you think? Please let us know below.