Conservation Idol

America loves competition. Let's face it. If you can create a competition out of something your client does, chances are it will catch some attention. The Sacramento Municipal Utility District in California has taken conserving energy to a new level. Neighbors in the district are now facing off with each other to see who can save the most energy. People receive smiley faces or frowny faces in relation to how well they did compared to neighbors. And they are not down with getting a frown face! After six months of this "Conservation Idol", it was found that people reduced energy 2% more than those not participating in the competition.

This idea is spreading to more cities. Perhaps my favorite part of the New York Times piece was this quote from Patty Nolan of Cambridge, Massachusetts:

"At the beginning, the competition wasn’t what interested me, but then when we lost a challenge to Arlington by one pound of carbon, I realized I really wanted to win.”

If that doesn't do it, I don't know what will.

Lesson? Learn the art of competition if you want people to change their behavior. That is the most difficult part of communication, and these cities got it.