Since 1967, Environmental Defense, a national nonprofit organization, has linked science, economics, and law to create innovative and cost-effective solutions to society’s environmental problems.
Case Study
Environmental Defense has helped utilities around the country to reduce greenhouse gas pollution. But Dallas-based TXU unveiled a plan that would more than double its current hazardous emissions throughout Texas, building 11 new coal plants using outdated technology.
Environmental Defense asked us to help educate the public on TXU’s plans and to coerce the leaders at TXU into making a change. We began with a paid-media campaign timed to coincide with statewide elections. Environmental Defense complemented this with an aggressive statewide publicity campaign.
In December, we created an event where we invited voters to send TXU an actual lump of coal for Christmas. We created a street scene in the heart of downtown Austin, just blocks from the State Capitol. Our street scene featured Santa’s sleigh, elves, carolers and plenty of real coal. Our event attracted news media and led to hundreds of packets of coal being mailed out to the governor and the CEO of TXU that day. We also filmed the event and posted it to YouTube where it received thousands of downloads.
RESULTS
We won. This campaign has become a national case study of the power of environmental advocacy in today’s corporate climate and was featured as a best practice in PRWeek.
Holiday Card
Holiday Pushcard
PRWeek Coverage
Street Scene in Downtown Austin
Newspaper Ad
Newspaper Ad
