Creative Strategic Communications: A Case Study of Earth Hour

This article examines how Earth Hour used creative strategic communication to scale up a local community event to a global event promoting climate change. Developed and run as a World Wildlife Fund (WWF) project in Sydney, Australia, Earth Hour was launched in 2007 as a symbolic “lights off” event. Five years later, 152 countries and over 6,895 towns, cities and municipalities have participated in this “global display of climate action.” Using a case study approach, this article discusses the key elements of Earth Hour's campaign development and raises questions on the impact and sustainability of single events in changing behaviours.

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