Greenpeace Global brandguide

Page 1

BRAND GUIDE VERSION 1 | JANUARY 2016


How to use this document

I. OUR INTERNAL BRAND 5

Brand Strategy Map

The Brand Guide is divided into five sections:

6 Values

I. OUR INTERNAL BRAND

6

II. MYTH GAPS

11 Brand Heroes

III. OUR STORY UNIVERSE

14 Brand Archetype

IV. OUR EXTERNAL BRAND

16 Our Brand Gift

Moral of Our Story

V. STORYTELLING TACTICS

IV. OUR EXTERNAL BRAND 31 Attitude and Tone 32 Words Our Brand Loves 33 Phrases for Inspiration and Use 34 Manifesto 35 Taglines 36 Brand at a Glance 37 Brand Alignment Cheat Sheet

You’ll use each section very differently.

II. MYTH GAPS

The first time you receive this Guide, please begin with the Internal Brand section. This will introduce you to our messaging strategy, values and voice.

19 You Are What You Own

V. STORYTELLING TACTICS

20 Economic Growth is Good

39 Practicing the Art of Storytelling

21 Military Power is Safety

44

Understanding our Internal Brand will orient you to what’s behind the outward-facing communication tools that follow, and make sure your work reinforces the brand we are building together. The Myth Gaps section documents the competing narratives our audiences are surrounded by every day. They have both informed the internal brand elements we’ve created and must feel present and accounted for in any external messaging created. Once you understand the Internal Brand and Myth Gaps, you do not need to return to them each time you sit down to create a message or piece of media. Instead, you’ll turn to our External Brand guidelines in sections III-IV. These sections will provide you with ready-to-go language and visual guidelines. They are the foundational elements from which you will build your media. The fifth section, Storytelling Tactics, provides you with a set of tools that will empower you to become a better storyteller.

22 Technology Will Solve Our Problems

Telling Actual Stories for Our Brand

23 Someone Else Will Solve Our Problems

III. OUR STORY UNIVERSE 27 Citizens / Greenpeace Activists 28 Other NGOs / Corporations 29 Government Leaders / Critics

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

2


What “Our Story” Means to Greenpeace A story can mean many things. It can be a compelling narrative about real events that have occurred. It can be an imagined vision of what’s possible. It can be an illustration of a worldview expressed by a storyteller with the purpose of rallying support. Our definition includes all of these things, but it is more expansive. Greenpeace is committed to the idea that the sum total of all of our communications and our actions will add up to a coherent, ongoing story that unfolds between our organisation and those we inspire to act in collaboration with us. No single communication and no single activity fully expresses our story. Rather, our story comes to life in how the world experiences our words, our deeds and our brand over time. No single individual is our master storyteller. Everyone who works on our behalf will now be empowered to contribute to, build on and evolve the global story we tell. We will tell our story — and live it — every day until we have achieved a more green and peaceful world. By seeing our brand as an unfolding story, we will also become more adept as an organisation at storytelling as it is more commonly defined. So while this Brand Guide offers strategic insights to align our words and deeds, it also offers actionable tools for turning fact-based communications into compelling narratives that spur action and spread our worldview beyond “the choir” we now reach. This is our story. And we are now all storytellers.

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

3


I. OUR INTERNAL BRAND Read and absorb. You won’t find action items here, just the deep thinking behind our story-based brand.

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

4


I. OUR INTERNAL BRAND THE HEROES Courageous Citizens Everywhere The world we aspire to will not be created by a single organisation or by a handful of professional activists. Change depends on the individual and coordinated actions of millions. The true heroes of our story are the citizens we inspire to action.

Greenpeace Activists Catalyzing courageous action takes role models willing to put themselves on the line on behalf of the planet. Greenpeace activists are the “heroes among heroes.” They are role models who fortify people’s belief that one courageous act can be contagious and that people really can change the world.

GIFT The Keys to Courage

OUR ARCHETYPE Champions of the Impossible

MORAL

MORAL We are just consumers. A billion actsnot of contagious courage Brandswill listen when the who love We create our people future. spark a brighter tomorrow. them ask — then tell — them to change. VALUES VALUES Courage Truth Optimism Connectivity Expression Love/Playfulness EmpowermentHope (I modifiedTruth based on Tommy’s email from 7/13. Feel

On the surface of our this story, brandwe story findwe our find public characters, communications conflict and and plot actions. — theThese visibleare elements the visible of your elements communications. of the storiesOne we layer tell. This map defines the heroes below, of thesewe stories, find the thecore gift values we givethat to empower inform theour structure heroes and and meaning the human of voice the story. of our The organization most important (our archetype). element is the One“Moral” layer below, — we find the moral of our story. the core This message is the core or lesson. truth that Morals unites consistently everything reinforce we say and the core do. The values moral, theor storyteller worldview, believes is based and onwants valuestowe share seekwith to share his orwith our audiences and live out in herour audiences. organization. The Connect following with people’s pages explain values,the and above offerelements a Moral that of our resonates brand in with further them, depth. and you are on your way to branding success. The following pages explain the above elements of Detox’s brand in further depth.

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

5


I. OUR INTERNAL BRAND

The values we inspire in our audiences Courage

Connectivity

Hope

We believe:

We believe:

We believe:

Life starts at the edge of your comfort zone and that the future is waiting for us to speak up.

Everyone holds a piece of a better world and that the antidote to organised money is organised people.

The positivity of action is better than cynicism and despair.

So:

So:

We call on everyone to bravely stand for what they believe in and to take non-violent action for a better world.

We embrace a diversity of visions, catalyse collaboration and encourage the exploration of new ideas and possibilities.

So: We get up off the sofa and express ourselves through action, knowing that our example inspires hope and action in others.

Successful brands and organisations evolve from a set of core values that drive communications and prioritize activities. There are two types of values: those that we inspire in our audiences and those that we use to operate our organisation. All of these values are expressions of a similar ethic but have relevance to different audiences. GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

6


I. OUR INTERNAL BRAND

The values by which we operate Personal Responsibility & Nonviolence

Independence

No Permanent Friends or Foes

Promoting Solutions

We take personal responsibility for our actions, and we are committed to nonviolence. These principles are inspired by the Quaker concept of ‘bearing witness,’ which is about taking action based on conscience – personal action based on personal responsibility.

We ensure our financial independence from political or commercial interests. We do not accept money from either companies or governments. And we mean any money. Individual contributions, together with foundation grants, are the only source of our funding.

In exposing threats to the environment and finding solutions we have no permanent allies or adversaries. If your government or company is willing to change, we will work with you to achieve your aims. Dither, backtrack or turn around and we will be back.

We seek solutions for, and promote open, informed debate about society’s environmental choices. We don’t work to manage environmental problems, we work to eliminate them. It’s not enough for us to point the finger; we develop, research and promote concrete steps towards a green and peaceful future for all of us.

Successful brands and organisations evolve from a set of core values that drive communications and prioritize activities. There are two types of values: those that we inspire in our audiences and those that we use to operate our organisation. All of these values are expressions of a similar ethic but have relevance to different audiences. GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

7


I. OUR INTERNAL BRAND

Moral of Our Story A billion acts of contagious courage will spark a brighter tomorrow. Margaret Mead famously said: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” For decades, this belief has driven our small band of activists to shoulder the responsibility for leading the change to a more peaceful and green future. But today’s world is too interconnected, too beset by urgent challenges and evolving too quickly for us to continue to believe that our team, acting on behalf of our supporters, really can change the world alone. Our effectiveness will not be determined by how powerful Greenpeace can be but by how powerful we can inspire millions of citizens around the world to become. Everything we do, every victory we win, must be in service of awakening others to their potential and inspiring them to act on behalf of their values. What does this mean for us practically? It means we will no longer be the sole hero of our story — we will make regular, everyday people our heroes. It means that we will not create actions that make people feel like change is in the hands of the insanely committed few, rather we will help them see themselves as agents of change. We will stop thinking about “supporters” and “donors” and start thinking about millions of partners.

Every communication we create and every action we take must reinforce this core insight. Our moral is what we stand for, our theory of change and our mantra. GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

8


I. OUR INTERNAL BRAND

Moral of Our Story A billion acts of contagious courage will spark a brighter tomorrow. What this means for our global brand: Building our story requires all of our offices to recognize that they are now contributors to, and beneficiaries of, an overarching global brand. On the global level, this moral guides Greenpeace to invest the necessary resources and efforts to become the worldwide brand most associated with that first and most desirable of all virtues — courage. We’ll know we’ve succeeded when most people stop saying that Greenpeace is the brand “that is saving the world on my behalf” and start saying that Greenpeace “inspires me to act courageously on my beliefs.”

What this means for individual campaigns: Telling our story requires us to design campaigns that truly reinforce this moral. It means that we should design asks and actions that help people experience the thrill and joy of moving out of their comfort zones. This will look different in different cultures. In the US, there’s nothing courageous about signing a petition online. In China, that might be a highly courageous act. In any context, this moral should guide us to create truly people-powered campaigns that remind millions that life begins at the edge of your comfort zone.

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

9


I. OUR INTERNAL BRAND

Our Brand Heroes — Courageous Citzens Everywhere The following two hero profiles are provided to represent the ideal individuals we aim to inspire to act on behalf of the planet. These descriptions are far from comprehensive of the diverse community we are coalescing. However, they reflect a clear strategic focus we’ve created based on extensive research into global values and individial likelihood to take meaningful action.

Paulo

Arya

22 years old, architecture student, living

35 years old, fashion designer and small

in Stockholm. Passionate about eco-

business owner, living in Mumbai.

architecture, doodles, cartoons, playing

Mom, foodie, yoga aficionado who loves

guitar and football and watching nature

singing loudly in the shower

documentaries Among his friends, he’s the one who:

Among her friends, she’s the one who:

is always thinking, ‘how would nature solve

gives the most thoughtful handmade gifts,

this?’; is always up for a challenge and a bit

and was the first on Instagram.

of adventure. She aspires to: make women feel He aspires to: design the most liveable

beautiful; bring Eastern influences into

cities of the future by blending beauty,

mainstream fashion through her line of

functionality and nature’s intelligence; and

Indian- influenced clothing; meet and

hike, dive and climb at any opportunity.

learn from other designers she admires.

Greenpeace as an organization is not the hero of our brand story. Our audiences and individual activists are. Each communication we write will be an invitation to take action that leads to growth, connection, greater impact and satisfaction. Here are what two of our heroes look and sound like. GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

10


I. OUR INTERNAL BRAND

Our Brand Heroes — Courageous Citzens Everywhere Paulo is a Change Leader (Transcender) At core, he’s driven by values of Justice, Nature, Caring and Self Choice. He aspires to: connect with others, see more of the worldt and have some adventures and fun along the way. He’s inspired by: how complexity and beauty can combine; people who are clever at solving problems elegantly and are creating a better world. For Paolo, it feels meaningful to: expand his knowledge on things he cares about; push his own limits physically and intellectually; and feel like he’s making an impact for good in the world. Transcenders are change leaders. These are the social change leaders, innovators who are: • Quite self aware, and open-minded • Trying to live their values and connect with others and their

environment • Actively pursue information and knowledge on what they care about • Intrigued by the unknown - life is mostly fun for them • Willing to question solutions - they want the ‘right’ solution • Will question solutions – want the ‘right’ solution •Needing to have lots of variety and ongoing activity in their lives • Believing they can change the world with the highest sense of agency

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

11


I. OUR INTERNAL BRAND

Our Brand Heroes — Courageous Citzens Everywhere Arya is a Culture Shaper (Now Person) At core, she’s driven by values of Creativity, Novelty, Fun and Achievement. She aspires to: push herself, be the best in her field and be recognised for it; have the freedom to live life her way; travel and see the world. She’s inspired by: the chance to do something truly original and unique; creative people who are striving to do new, interesting things with success. For her, it feels meaningful to: spend time with her daughter and ensure she has every opportunity in life; enjoy the company of her friends and family; do good if she can while also doing well. Now People are culture shapers. These are the ‘doorways’ to culture, the culture shapers who have: • A hunger for life and high energy • Much in common with Transcenders but are also quite different • Confidence and positivity • Wonderful social skills and are active social media users • The ability to look for novelty, excitement and fun in all situations • The ability to discern what’s ‘cool’ – they can’t be fooled! • A success-oriented sense of achievment – they want to see positive impact of their contributions and efforts • The ability to feel more ‘at home’ with themselves and some may think ‘there must be something more’ • A high sense of agency – they want to direct their own paths in life.

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

12


I. OUR INTERNAL BRAND

Our Brand Heroes — Greenpeace Activists Greenpeace staff are just like our Courageous Citizen heroes. They just happen to make courageous action their full time gig. In practical terms, this means that Greenpeace staff should not be shown as superhuman daredevils with a drive to do what everyday people could never do. We’re past the era of “give us money and we’ll save the world.” And if stories of Greenpeace activists make Courageous Citizens say “I could never do that” too many times, we won’t inspire a billion acts. Instead, Greenpeace Activists should be shown as human. They are Change Leaders and Culture Shapers. They are adventurers, artists, hackers and engineers. They are concerned but hopeful. They are capable of outrage but also of love. They are driven by a vision of a far better world.

Greenpeace is not the hero of our brand story. Our audiences and individual activists are. Each communication we write will be an invitation to take action that leads to growth, connection, greater impact and satisfaction. Here are what two of our heroes look and sound like. GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

13


I. OUR INTERNAL BRAND

Brand Archetype: We Are the Champions of the Impossible The stories we live by, often without even knowing they exist, define our sense of what’s possible and what’s not. Today’s stories tell us to dream small, keep safe and to constantly strive for shiny but meaningless tokens because our real aspirations, those childhood dreams of slaying dragons — well they’re for children. With this limited view of what’s possible, the future for those who dare consider it is a dreary place indeed. It is full of the invincible dragons of climate change, a dying planet and human greed. And the only logical thing to do is turn away. But we have a very different view. We are the Champions of the Impossible. And we smash culture’s debilitating stories, challenging our heroes to rethink possible. From our original naïve-seeming adventure into a nuclear test zone that rocked the world’s consciousness to our takedowns of billion dollar corporate polluters, we’ve never listened to anyone else’s definition of what can be. We’ve never believed that humans are inherently bad or that one person’s actions can’t spark a million more. Now, to save the world, we’re going to get a billion other people to smash their own impossibles. We will tell stories using language that is optimistic, bold and includes a humorous wink. We will rebel against convention and make beauty in the face of dreary and stale. For more information see the Attitude and Tone section of the External Brand Guidelines.

People seek relationships with other people, not faceless organisations. The Greenpeace story-based brand is expressed in the clear voice of a storyteller. Our storytelling voice is that of a mentor, inviting our audiences (the heroes of our story) to take a journey of empowerment. GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

14


I. OUR INTERNAL BRAND

Brand Archetype: We Are the Champions of the Impossible Our Role To function as mentors to our heroes — and to truly be Champions of the Impossible — we will play a very specific role in this story. Our job going forward is to: EXPAND POSSIBLE — We will lead by example with our own heroic acts: adding real value to the broader movement by doing those things that no one else can, breaking new ground, and pushing the boundaries of what is acceptable or seen as possible. INSPIRE ACTION — We will debunk the myth that courage is for the lucky few and provide specific tools, events and relationships that give people a deeper belief in their ability to go outside their comfort zones (see Brand Gift section for more details). PROVIDE A PATH — We will share our skills, such as non-violent direct action and strategic thinking; and provide meaningful ways for people to take action as part of our campaigns, leveraging their unique skills and encouraging them to dream big. CATALYSE— Diversity is strength, so we will embrace a symphony of visions, catalyse collaboration between unlikely partners, and encourage the exploration of new ideas and possibilities, helping to redirect our unlimited ingenuity as humans toward the creation of a better world. AMPLIFY — Every time people experience something that doesn’t fit with an old story, it weakens it, disrupts it and makes space for something new. We’ll lend our reputation, name and energy to repeat and celebrate stories of contagious courage from inside our own network and beyond; from our local environment to the other side of the world; knowing that these stories have the power to inspire hope, courage and action in others.

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

15


I. OUR INTERNAL BRAND

Our Brand Gift: The Five Keys to Courage We’re not just going to talk about courage, we’re going to teach people how to grow it within themselves and practice it in the real world. Greenpeace’s research into the value of courage reveals that it is one of the most desired of all personal attributes and is universally recognised as a positive trait. Though courage looks different around the world, there are five common keys to developing it, detailed below. Greenpeace will offer actions, trainings and communications that help millions systematically build their courage muscles. We will do this by providing people with: Purpose: A bigger story that gives reason to believe their actions will matter Role Models: Courageous people and their personal stories of hope, challenge and triumph Social Proof: A community to connect to online and through events so people can form positive relationships Skills: Practical tools to help build the courage muscle Triggers: Specific opportunities paired with a clear call to courageous action

The brand gift is the element that makes the difficult journey possible for our hero; it is what we give our audience members that enables them to succeed. Think of the ruby red slippers given to Dorothy by the good witch, or the magic staff given to Moses.

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

16


I. OUR INTERNAL BRAND

Our Brand Gift: The Five Keys to Courage What the Keys to Courage mean for our global brand: Our brand gift gives us the opportunity to shepherd people through the process of becoming more courageous. This means that we must become thought leaders in determining what works and what does not when it comes to training courage. We will commission original scientific research, publish our findings and apply them to specific programs that we offer to activists and partner organisations. Global courage-based campaigns can make tangible to the world how inspiring role models have personally built courage — and provide lessons that anyone can apply to their own lives.

What the Keys to Courage mean for individual campaigns: When building a campaign, the Keys to Courage challenge our staff to embed these key elements to the asks, the ladder of engagement and the way successes are reported. When reviewing proposals for campaigns, directors should interrogate their design to ensure that they provide three or more of these keys. (See Pitching Criteria for more information). For example: Purpose: Be sure to expose the theory of change that shows why someone’s actions can meaningfully move an issue. Role Models: Tell stories about others who have taken similar actions and actually succeeded. Social Proof: Design actions that people can take in social settings and that build deeper human connection. Skills: Don’t assume people know how to act. Provide step-by-step guides and lots of entry points for different levels of skill. A Trigger: Ask people to do things that actually take courage to do. Clicking a “like” button may not qualify.

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

17


II. MYTH GAPS & OUR VISION The world we live in today is built on stories — stories that support the status quo. As people become increasingly aware of the problems we face, these stories are making less and less sense. Addressing these “myths” head on, and offering new, more compelling ones will make our brand far more appealing and culturally relevant. The crumbling myths you’ll find in this section define our view of the “broken world.” Our job, however, is no longer only to yell about how broken the world is. We must also create the myths of our healed world, because myths — or meaning stories — have always guided human behavior. Without them we will never create a thriving future. Take heart; these new myths are not ours to build alone. They are already emerging everywhere. We will speed them along.

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

18


II. MYTH GAPS AND OUR VISION

THE CRUMBLING MYTH > In Today’s World We Are Told:

You are what you own. What is the “myth” that is no longer working? We are consumers, not citizens. Someone else makes the big decisions while we define ourselves by the stuff we have, the stuff we want to buy and the stuff we wouldn’t be caught dead with. More money will make us more fulfilled. And the best way to express our values is by “voting with our dollars.” Of course, there are billions who own nothing and thus are worth nothing according to this myth. We would need many more planets to include everyone in this crumbling story.

THE NEW MYTH WE ARE HELPING TO BUILD > We Envision a World in Which:

You are what you contribute. What is the more relevant story we’re spreading? Our creativity, our passions and our willingness to help others defines us. We identify ourselves by the ideas we come up with, the ideas of others we pass on and share and the acts we are bold enough to take. We don’t consume the coolest stuff, we create it. And happiness comes less from having than it does from sharing.

Evidence that the new story is already taking hold: “Maker culture” is growing rapidly. Open Source development is leading Internet evolution. There is increased interest in redefining “the good life.” 3D printing is set to disrupt manufacturing in the same way mp3s disrupted music. Old gatekeepers (media companies, governments and pundits) are losing control.

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

19


II. MYTH GAPS AND OUR VISION

THE CRUMBLING MYTH > In Today’s World We Are Told:

Economic growth is good. What is the “myth” that is no longer working? Our well-being relies on an ever-growing economy. Though many of us have come to suspect that economic growth accelerates the consumption of Earth’s natural resources and enriches the global 1%, we’re still dependent on the opportunities and wealth it spreads around.

THE NEW MYTH WE ARE HELPING TO BUILD > We Envision a World in Which:

Wealth means healthy people and a healthy planet. What is the more relevant story we’re spreading? Our economy exists to serve people, not the other way around. Real wealth derives not from numbers on a stock ticker but on the health of the planet on which we all depend. Progress is defined by how many are lifted out of poverty and by shrinking inequality. People created the old measures of economic health — so people can create new ones.

Evidence that the new story is already taking hold: The widely predicted slowing of global growth within the next two decades is bsed on demographic and resource trends. Including: growing distrust in unbridled capitalism (evidence by broad public opinion polls); near consensus about the threat of climate change; and new measures of economic well-being are taking hold.

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

20


II. MYTH GAPS AND OUR VISION

THE CRUMBLING MYTH > In Today’s World We Are Told:

Military power is safety. What is the “myth” that is no longer working? The world is a dangerous place and the only way to protect ourselves is to spend billions on high-tech weaponry, constant surveillance and occasional but consistent invasions of non-compliant countries.

THE NEW MYTH WE ARE HELPING TO BUILD > We Envision a World in Which:

Empathy and equality keep us strong and safe. What is the more relevant story we’re spreading? There will never be enough tanks and spies to secure a world in which billions live in desperate circumstances — while billions more move in that direction thanks to environmental degradation. Terrorism and aggression rely on the fuel of injustice. It is far more effective to fight back with mutual support, opportunity and empathy born of the interconnection that has now become possible. Evidence that the new story is already taking hold: Terrorism and cyber threats cannot be confronted with military might. New technologies make empathy at scale suddenly possible. Young people are increasingly rejecting homophobia, sexism, racism and nationalism. Despite some pockets of violent and highly spotlighted exception, many believe we now live in the most peaceful time in recorded human history.

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

21


II. MYTH GAPS AND OUR VISION

THE CRUMBLING MYTH > In Today’s World We Are Told:

Technology will solve all the problems humanity creates. What is the “myth” that is no longer working? Scientists are working hard on solutions that will allow us to keep living just as we do. Someone will find a way to take the carbon out of the air, rebuild the coral reefs, regrow the forests and deal with all our garbage. When the market demands these things, they will simply appear.

THE NEW MYTH WE ARE HELPING TO BUILD > We Envision a World in Which:

Human creativity, applied with purpose, solves our problems What is the more relevant story we’re spreading? Human ingenuity is indeed capable of amazing things. But it only solves the problems that it’s applied to. It is up to all of us to direct that ingenuity to take on our world’s most pressing challenges, starting now. And that ingenuity is needed not just from the elite inventors of the world, but from parents, educators, communities — all of us. Evidence that the new story is already taking hold: Alternative energy sources becoming price competitive with fossil fuels. Rise of crowd-solving and crowd-inventing. Kickstarter, Indiegogo, X Prize, Tesla Motors.

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

22


II. MYTH GAPS AND OUR VISION

THE CRUMBLING MYTH > In Today’s World We Are Told:

Someone else will solve our problems. What is the “myth” that is no longer working? History is created by the inspired few who come along and change everything — be they in government, business or civil society (like Greenpeace). The role for the rest of us is to be followers and cheerleaders.

THE NEW MYTH WE ARE HELPING TO BUILD > We Envision a World in Which:

Working together as citizens, we will solve our problems. What is the more relevant story we’re spreading? We live in a world where good ideas can cross the globe in seconds, building millions of supporters along the way. Our actions can be noticed by anyone, anywhere. And while our leaders will need to be part of the solution, it has become clear that we, the people, will lead and leaders will follow. Evidence that the new story is already taking hold: The growing popularity of spending time and money in local economies. Exodus from disconnected, sprawling suburbs and new possibilities for collaboration and cross-pollination in urban centers. Global South rejecting old models of aid in favor of local solutions. Twitter toppling tyranny. Hackers inventing faster than corporations.

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

23


II. MYTH GAPS AND OUR VISION

THE CRUMBLING MYTH > In Today’s World We Are Told:

Humans are bad. What is the “myth” that is no longer working? It’s an idea that’s been spread since the Bible’s story of The Garden of Eden. Humans have stepped outside of nature’s order and now exist apart from it. We are perverse and mean, incapable of sustained cooperation and altruism. Now that we’ve attained mastery over the Earth, any hope that we will leave behind greed and violence in time are fantasies of the naive.

THE NEW MYTH WE ARE HELPING TO BUILD > We Envision a World in Which:

We are evolving just in time. What is the more relevant story we’re spreading? Yes, we’ve shown our capacity for selfishness and short-sightedness. But humans have also been capable of enormous courage, altruism and evolution. Just as our problems accelerate, so too has our ability to understand each other, to collaborate on solutions and to influence the power structures that have limited us. These abilities are scaling exponentially. Fatalism about the future shows a very limited view of human potential. Evidence that the new story is already taking hold: Young people are increasingly rejecting homophobia, sexism, racism and nationalism. Social media culture routinely makes altruism and pro-social behavior go viral. “Likes,” “Shares,” “Friends,” are the common parlance of a new communications culture.

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

24


II. MYTH GAPS AND OUR VISION

Create Your Own Myth Gap The crumbling stories above are far from comprehensive of all those we might address — and over time, new core stories will be called into question. The myths presented represent a starting place, but individual campaigns may use this format to identify and address others. To do this, begin by thinking about your target audience. What stories and attitudes offer them meaning, explanation about how their world works and rituals to live by? Capture one of these stories in a headline. Now look for trend reports, pieces of pop culture or news events that call that story into question. Don’t worry if the myth hasn’t been 100% debunked. The idea is not to find stories that are truly dead. Nobody cares about those. What you’re looking for is the open space between the old way of thinking and something new. This is where most great persuasion campaigns find their power.

Create Your Own Response It’s not enough to point out what’s wrong with the old way. Calling an old story into question only gets people excited if you offer something to replace it with. New stories don’t just appear out of thin air. They are produced over time by many cultural forces working together. So new stories we seek to spread shouldn’t be born out of our own heads. We must look outward to find stories that are taking hold and that we can help amplify with our campaigns. Again, trend reports, pop culture and current events make fertile ground for discovering new stories to amplify.t

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

25


III. OUR STORY UNIVERSE Here you’ll find the characters and drama that make up the magical, but very real, world of our brand. Use these pages to understand how we cast the various players and the conflict between them. As you set out to create actual stories, the themes and characters below will constantly reappear. Your job will be to align your stories to the templates that follow.

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

26


III. OUR STORY UNIVERSE

THE CHARACTERS Citizens

Greenpeace Activists

Motto: “My acts count.”

Motto: “We show what’s possible.”

Citizens, millions of them, are the heroes of our story. These are the awakened many. They are inspired, angered, irrepressible, unconforming and in love with life.

Greenpeace activists are the privileged few who actually get paid to live life fully. We no longer see ourselves as the lone heroes who are solely capable of changing the world. We are those who have the time and expertise to conspire and to commit the acts that awaken millions to their own power.

Like everyone else, those who embrace their power and responsibility as citizens feel fear — fear of speaking out, fear of failure and fear of belief in the future. But our citizen-heroes face their fears because they have learned that life begins at the edge of their comfort zones. And they know that anything worth doing takes courage. We will remind our citizen-heroes of the problems of the world. But we will leave behind the tired notion that we can motivate them only through fear. We’re not going to change the world with frightened petition signers. To win, we need to embolden these citizens to commit their acts of courage — acts that will ripple through their communities and encourage countless more. We need to make them believe a better world is possible.

Each Greenpeace activist has a story to tell: his or her journey to living a courageous life. And each activist will tell this story in a way that shows the path forward for ordinary people who are not yet sure if they have what it takes. Each Greenpeace activist is a role model, mentor and cheerleader to those with whom the real power lies — the millions of citizens ready to be inspired.

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

27


III. OUR STORY UNIVERSE

THE CHARACTERS Other NGOs

Corporations

Motto: “We are one movement.”

Motto: “Only profit counts.”

Decades from now, nobody will look back and say that “The

Corporations can wear the masks of friendly or edgy or sexy

Greenpeace Revolution” changed the course of history. They

individuals. They appear in our lives as friends, confidants,

will point to a networked movement of many organizations

role models. The people who work for them may be all of these

and, more importantly, millions of people acting for a thriving

things. But the corporations themselves have been enabled to

future.

grow so powerful that it’s no longer clear if they serve us (as we intended), or if we now serve them.We may occasionally

In our story world, other NGOs are our fellow travellers,

find ways to enlist corporations as allies as they pursue their

each bringing their unique skills and assets to the table. We

self-interest, or seek to be the culture change levers that move

celebrate their efforts, offer support in real time and expect

us towards the more beautiful world we see. But whatever

support for our work in return. We train activists who work

their motives, we must remind our citizen-heroes that corpo-

under other banners in the art of courageous action.

rations do not belong in our governments, political processes and personal lives, and that Profit as a bottom line is far from

Sure there are other NGOs who work for the dark side. But

adequate if People and Planet do not feature prominently.

they rarely appear in our story. Our story universe is populated

We must remind them that there is a legion of change mak-

with organisations working with us in joint purpose to form a

ers ready, willing and able to reorient them to greater service

global movement.

should they forget.

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

28


III. OUR STORY UNIVERSE

THE CHARACTERS Governmental Leaders

Our Imagined Critics

Motto: “Go ahead, make me act.”

Motto: “Keep calm and carry on.”

Governmental leaders are too often beholden to special

Climate deniers. Pessimistic fatalists. Those who insist people

interests and corporations or just downright corrupt. In the

are too lazy to be anything but passive consumers. Those who

democratic world, these leaders are the products of a civil

say Greenpeace can never change. The purists who say that if

society that has too long ceded its power.

we’re not perfect, we’re worthless.

Our leaders have utterly failed to act to protect our climate,

Sure, these characters exist in the world, but it’s time to stop

stop biodiversity loss and ensure civil liberties because the

giving them so much oxygen. The best way to kill an idea is to

pressures on them from the forces of destruction have been

view it through the lens of the worst-case-scenario narrated

so much more powerful than the pressure from the forces of

in the voice of your worst critics. Our imagined critics will not

good. That’s changing. Our heroes have shown what social

occupy space in our story universe

media can do to tyranny and what people-powered movements can do to shock incumbents. Our leaders fear their elite

When crafting campaigns and communications, imagining

masters, but they will come to respect the courageous voices

the objections from the minority, or those we’ll never be able

of millions even more.

to engage anyway, decreases our penchant for courageous action. We don’t need everybody in the world on board. One

Among this crowd of mostly tired puppets and oppressive

billion acts is an ambitious goal that only takes a small slice

dictators, we find glimmers of hope. Some of our own, citizen-

of the global population. Our story is for those alive and well

heroes, have risen to the halls of power. We will celebrate these

enough to say “count me in.” It is not meant to re-awaken the

few and make sure more like them succeed.

dead.

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

29


IV. OUR EXTERNAL BRAND Here are elements that are ready to go. Put them directly into communications or use them as jumping off points.

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

30


IV. OUR EXTERNAL BRAND

Attitude and Tone Champions of the Impossible Champions of the Impossible are optimistic, bold and playful. How else can we hope to achieve the impossible? These five guidelines will help you master the tone of voice that a Champion of the Impossible speaks in:

Be Human. Write as you would speak. Be Informal, direct, personal and use short sentences.

Be Bold. What you say should scare you a little bit. If you’re not putting yourself out on a limb, you’re not trying hard enough. If it doesn’t take a little courage to publish what you just wrote, it won’t inspire courage in anyone else.

Get Cheeky. The earnest, fact-based battle between good and evil just isn’t getting people’s attention anymore. We need to be as savvy as the brands we’re facing off with in terms of using humor, pop culture references and unexpected language if we want to get noticed. Yes, our cause is dead serious, but to win, we can’t afford to be dead boring.

Smile. Seriously. As you write or create, try putting a smile on your face. When you look back on what you’ve created, see if that smile holds. If not, perhaps you don’t really believe that what you’re asking people to do will lead to a win or tap into their passions. Rethink what you’re asking.

Be Badass. We’re rebels here. So while we’re out to make people feel optimistic, we’re never fluffy or frivolous. Be bold about naming the bad actors, getting to the heart of problems and demanding change. Champions of the Impossible don’t pull punches.

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

31


IV. OUR EXTERNAL BRAND

Words our brand loves Thriving

Create Self-Expression Connected

Sharing

Win

Believe

Act

Collaborate

Future

Citizen

Beauty

Invent Unstoppable

Hope

Catalyst

Inspiring

Impossible

Global

Risk

Courage

Defy

Creative

Contagious

Love

Together

Share Expose

Democracy Play

Open Source

Use these words as often as you can. When looking for a way to express an idea, look to this word cloud for inspirational terms. Once communications are written, go back and add a few more of these words in. Each time you use them, you build our brand. GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

32


IV. OUR EXTERNAL BRAND

Phrases for inspiration and use Life begins at the edge of your comfort zone.

Do something impossible.

It’s too late to believe we can’t change the world.

One in a billion.

What’s so great about comfortable?

Apathy sucks.

Go first.

Courage is contagious.

We are citizens, not consumers.

Do what scares you.

Off the sofa, into the world.

What’s your spark?

When people lead, leaders follow.

Fear is a liar.

If you just need to pull some inspiration, headlines or verbiage, consider these brand-reinforcing phrases.

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

33


IV. OUR EXTERNAL BRAND

Manifesto Fear asks so little and promises so much in return.

that only you can commit.

A world in which we share more than we own.

It asks you to ignore the nagging feeling that

To question,

Where we love that we are all different.

something’s wrong with the stories you’ve been told.

To speak,

Where we live within the limits of the planet,

It tells you that one more purchase will make you happy,

To confront,

And where we dare to hope that our children — and theirs — will thank us for what we’ve left behind.

To dare to dream of a better world.

That one more war will finally bring peace, That living things are resources to be converted into money, That you are too small to change anything.

Fear is finally losing. Because a billion acts of courage are happening as we speak.

Fear tells you to stop dreaming. Courage whispers that now is the time to start acting. It is time for you to tell everyone you know

Fear says there’s happiness and safety when you don’t look too hard.

We are hackers,

that it is too late to believe we can’t change the

But fear is a liar.

Artists,

world.

Musicians, Courage makes no promises.

Grandmothers.

But it is waiting inside of you,

And we are connecting.

Quietly calling you to the edge of your comfort zone where life begins,

Together our billion acts will create the world

Calling you to that unique act of rebellion

fear tells us can never be.

The Manifesto represents one version of our brand story in action on a single page.

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

34


IV. OUR EXTERNAL BRAND

Tagline {Recommended options}

A billion acts of courage.

You look good in brave.

Courage is calling.

We dare you.

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

35


IV. OUR EXTERNAL BRAND

Brand at a glance

A billion acts of contagious courage will change the world.

The core truth we spread and defend with every communication and action

+

The 5 keys to courage

The tools we offer to activate our audiences.

+

Champions of the impossible

The optimistic, solutionsoriented character we embody.

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

36


IV. OUR EXTERNAL BRAND

Brand Alignment Cheat Sheet Strategic filters

Tactical filters

THE HERO TEST

MEMORABLE

Does this communication speak to the internal desire of citizen-heroes to be more courageous?

Does this communication include a powerful image or metaphor that makes abstract concepts easier to grasp?

THE MENTOR TEST Does it appear to have been written or spoken in the voice of a real human being? Does that real human appear to be optimistic, cheeky and badass?

THE VALUES TEST Does it encourage the exercise of creativity, the search for truth and the desire to empower audiences to build the future they desire?

THE MORAL TEST Does it inspire listeners to believe in the power of action and contagious courage?

EMOTIONAL Does it make you feel something rather than just think something?

RELATABLE Does it have a clear protagonist with whom audiences can identify?

IMMERSIVE Does it make you feel, even for a moment, that you are there, immersed in the action?

THE GIFT TEST

TANGIBLE

Does it offer three or more of the keys to courage: Purpose, Role Models, Social Proof, Skills, and a Trigger?

Does this communication provide a who, what, where and when?

THE MYTH TEST Does this communication address a current crumbling myth? Which one? Does it help to build a new one in its place?

As you create new communications, ask the questions above. The more you can answer “yes!” to these questions, the more likely it is you’re telling a compelling story and staying on brand. Don’t worry, you won’t get yesses to every one, every time.

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

37


V. STORYTELLING TACTICS Our brand must connect with our audiences’ hearts, not just their heads. Use these tools to bring your stories to life.

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

38


V. STORYTELLING TACTICS

Practicing the Language of Storytelling Memorable Include a powerful image or metaphor that makes your concepts easy to grasp. In practice: What is the single image you want your audience to walk away with? A good story implants an unforgettable picture in peoples’ heads. A powerful metaphor connects the new idea you’re offering to an experience your audience is familiar and can make abstract concepts sticky. A tie to a pop culture reference or a news event implants a concept in a front-of-mind compartment in people’s brains.

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

39


V. STORYTELLING TACTICS

Practicing the Language of Storytelling Emotional Elevate emotional engagement to be as important as rational engagement. In practice: Extensive research has shown that content with high emotional charge tends to go viral, while low emotional charge content quickly dies. Before deciding what you want audiences to think, jot down what you want them to feel. Some appropriate emotions to evoke are: outrage, excitement, indignation, hope and curiosity. Some emotions to avoid include are: despair, fear, depression or confusion. Keep your chosen emotion in mind as you craft your story then test it on a couple of people. Ask: “How did this make you feel?” If they say “nothing,” it’s time for an immediate rewrite. If they can identify the emotion you’ve chosen, you’re on the right path. The other tactics in this section will help you create scenes, characters and events that reinforce your target emotion.

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

40


V. STORYTELLING TACTICS

Practicing the Language of Storytelling Relatable Give audiences a clear protagonist with whom they can identify. In practice: Don’t rely on data or a 35,000’ view of the situation to move people to action. Show your problem or scenario playing out in the lives of individual characters. These characters don’t have to be a mirror image of your audience but they should embody shared beliefs, values or experiences to which your audiences can relate. Remember, our global research into Motivational Values tell us that your key strategic audients are Transcenders (change leaders) and Now People (culture shapers). A deeper understanding of Values and these groups can be found on Greennet and in the Addendum, ‘More on our brand heroes’.

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

41


V. STORYTELLING TACTICS

Practicing the Language of Storytelling Immersive Give audiences the feeling that they are there, immersed in the action. In practice: Provide sensory details of what it would be like to be on the ground where the situation or drama is occurring. What does it look like, feel like, sound like or even smell like? Zoom in and out. This means that it’s fine to talk about statistics and big concepts, but each time you do, return to ground level again to show what that means in real life.

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

42


V. STORYTELLING TACTICS

Practicing the Language of Storytelling Tangible Provide a who, what, where, when. In practice: Be very specific about who is impacted — human or animal — by the problems or solutions referenced. Be specific about where this is occurring, what the timeframe is, who the antagonists are. Populate your story with real people in conflict with each other. Let audiences know what these people look like, what they value and why they are so passionate about their quest.

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

43


V. STORYTELLING TACTICS

Telling actual Stories For Our Brand Not every communication will be a literal story, but when you do want to tell one, this formula can help.

Choose a protagonist. Every story needs a specific protagonist. He or she should be someone your audiences can identify with or aspire to be.

Identify the problem and villain or obstacle. Your protagonist should have a clear problem she is trying to solve — and someone or something should be standing in her way. You don’t need to villainize specific people or groups for your story to have a good villain. The villain can be a cultural attitude (consumption without question, believing people don’t have a voice) or even come from within the protagonist herself (fear that one person can’t make a difference, feeling overwhelmed by the scale of a problem). If there’s no villain or obstacle, the problem will be too easy to solve and there will be no drama.

Show the breakthrough. Breakthroughs should come when our protagonist acknowledges her fear, decides to act anyway and does something that takes courage.

Identify the “boon to society.” The benefit of overcoming the obstacle is not just a happier, more powerful or richer hero, but a better world. Paint a picture of how the hero’s success makes for a more vibrant, wider community or world.

Choose your sequence. You can start the story anywhere: with the unsatisfied hero facing a problem, looking back from the perspective of a “healed world” or at the moment of breakthrough. No matter where you start, each of these elements should make an appearance for the story to feel complete.

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

44


VII. ADDENDUM: OUR BRAND HEROES

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

46


WHY ARE TRANSCENDERS AND NOW PEOPLE OUR BRAND HEROES

SECURITY DRIVEN

Brave New World

Roots

BELONGING

SAFETY

Golden Dreamer

Concerned Ethical

ESTEEM OF OTHERS

ETHICAL CLARITY Now Person

OUTER DIRECTED

SELF ESTEEM

Transcender ETHICAL COMPLEXITY

INNER DIRECTED

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

47


VII. ADDENDUM: OUR BRAND HEROES

How New Ideas & Behaviors Flourish

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

48


VII. ADDENDUM: OUR BRAND HEROES

How They Can Get Trapped

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

49


VII. ADDENDUM: OUR BRAND HEROES

Our Brand Heroes: Change Leaders & Culture Makers

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

50


VII. ADDENDUM: OUR BRAND HEROES

Change Leaders: Transcenders •

These are the social change leaders, innovators

Quite self aware, and open-minded

Trying to live their values, connect with others and the environment around them

Actively pursue info and knowledge on what they care about

Life is mostly fun. Intrigued by the unknown

Forgiving of themselves, and the most likely to be forgiving of others

Will question solutions – want the ‘right’ solution

Need to have lots of variety and ongoing activity in their lives

Highest sense of agency – believe they can change the world

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

51


VII. ADDENDUM: OUR BRAND HEROES

Meet Paulo •

22 years old, architecture student, living in Stockholm

Passionate about eco-architecture; doodles cartoons, plays guitar and football; watches lots of nature documentaries

Among his friends, he’s the one who: is always thinking, ‘ how would nature solve this?’; is always up for a challenge and a bit of adventure

He aspires to: design the most liveable cities of the future by blending beauty, funtionality and nature’s intelligence; hike, drive and climb at any opportunity

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

52


VII. ADDENDUM: OUR BRAND HEROES

Paulo: What Motivates Him At core, he’s driven by values of Justice, Nature, Caring and Self Choice He aspires to: connect with others, see more of the world; have some adventures and fun along the way He’s inspired by: how complexity and beauty can combine; people who are clever at solving problems elegantly and are creating a better world. For him, it feels meaningful to: expand his knowledge on things he cares about; putsh his own limits physically and intellectually, feel like he’s making an impact for good in the world.

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

53


VII. ADDENDUM: OUR BRAND HEROES

How to Engage Him DO make your asks:

DON’T make them:

Ethical

Novel

Intriguing

Complex

Surprising

Authentic

Connecting

Stimulating

Innovative

Invite a dialogue

About beauty, nature or justice

Change-making

About ideas rather than just getting stuff

About theories or possibilities

About the bigger picture

Choose from closed options - they want to infiltrate your thinking and contribute ideas)

Go on the recommendations of others (or yours) - they want to make up their own minds

Buy something because it’s bigger, best or better – they like brands that are ethical, authentic or innovative

Do anything because it’s always been done this way – they want to innovate and usher in the new

Do something just because it is required by authority .

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

54


VII. ADDENDUM: OUR BRAND HEROES

Culture Makers: Now People •

These are the ‘doorways’ to culture, the culture shapers

They have a hunger for life, high energy

They have much in common with Transcenders but are also quite different

They’re confident and positive

They have wonderful social skills, are active social media users

They look for novelty, excitement and fun in all situations

Discerning of what’s ‘cool’ – they can’t be fooled!

Achievement & success-oriented – they want to see positive impact of their contributions/efforts

They feel more ‘at home’ with themselves and some may think ‘there must be something more’

High sense of agency – they want to direct their own paths in life.

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

55


VII. ADDENDUM: OUR BRAND HEROES

Meet Arya •

35 years old, fashion designer and small business owner, living in Mumbai

Mom, foodie, yoga aficionado, sings loudly in the shower

Among her friends, she’s the one who: gives the most thoughtful handmade gifts; was the first on Instagram.

She aspires to: make women feel beautiful; bring Eastern influences into mainstream fashion through her line of Indian- influenced clothing; meet and learn from other designers she admires.

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

56


VII. ADDENDUM: OUR BRAND HEROES

Arya: What Motivates Her At core, she’s driven by values of Creativity, Novelty, Fun, Achievement She aspires to: push herself, be the best in her field, and be recognised for it; have the freedom to live life her way; travel and see the world She’s inspired by: the chance to do something truly original and unique; creative people who are striving to do new, interesting things with success v For her, it feels meaningful to: spend time with her daughter and ensure she has every opportunity in life; enjoy the company of her friends and family; do good if she can while also doing well.

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

57


VII. ADDENDUM: OUR BRAND HEROES

How to Engage Him DO make your asks:

DON’T make them:

Have a positive and optimist vision

Do anything old fashioned or traditional

Visible or displayable to their peers

‘just follow the rules’

Simple

Actually break the rules

Achievable

Give things up (except by getting something better)

Fun

Do things primarily for others without social reward

Fashionable; align with what’s trending

Do anything just because it’s ethical

Tangible, experiential

Do anything just because of an idea or theory

Uncontroversial

Lead or engage in debate or controversy

Rewarded and recognised

Embrace an open ended problems – they want the ‘right’,

Sociable – to be enjoyed and shared with others

Stimulating

Endorsed by celebrity they admire

campaigns. We need to go to them, via the channels they

Proven (evidence that it will ‘work’)

use and the figures they admire and respect and asks they

Immediate (in action and effect)

find intriguing.

Applauded (by us and by others)

successful answer •

Find us – they’re probably not looking for Greenpeace

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

58


VII. ADDENDUM: OUR BRAND HEROES

What Motivational Values do they Have in Common? •

Creativity – it’s important to them to do things in their own original way

Fun – both are positive, optimistic, enjoying life

Stimulation – need physical and mental activities to tackle

Novelty – appetite for the new and different

Self direction, Agency – both believe life is theirs to create, can direct their own path and change their world for the better in some way.

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

59


VII. ADDENDUM: OUR BRAND HEROES

Research shows that nine out of ten times, what works for a Now Person will also work well for a Transcender but NOT the other way around! It’s strategic to base our communications and engagement on their shared needs and drivers. It is also strategic to make our engagement look oriented more towards Now People, (positive, solutions-focused, optimistic, innovative) and build in opportunities for Transcenders to engage more deeply.

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

60


VII. ADDENDUM: OUR BRAND HEROES

How Are They Different Paolo (Transcender):

Arya (Now Person):

Primarily driven by Nature and Justice

Primarily, driven by Achievement and Creativity

For him, it’s all about ‘doing the right thing’ for nature first,

For her, it’s all about ‘being the best’ designer first, and other

and other things second •

Would tolerate and engage in ‘traditional’, issue-driven

things second •

Would not find issue or information-driven campaigns

campaigns he really cares about, but would enjoy more

inherently interesting and would not engage or share them

creative and novel experience if given the choice

based on their ‘merits’ alone

GREENPEACE BRAND GUIDE

61


Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.