Title: How to convince the unconvincibles? A mass mediated approach to communicate sustainable lifestyles to a low-interest target group

Authors: Lucia A. Reisch, Sabine Bietz

Addresses: Copenhagen Business School, Department of Intercultural Communication and Management, Porcelaenshaven 18, 1, DK-2000 Frederiksberg, Denmark. ' University of Calw GmbH, Badstrasse 27, D-75365 Calw, Germany

Abstract: The paper reports on an interdisciplinary four-year study which aims to reach consumers who are hardly interested in the topic of sustainable development. At its core, the study measures the effectiveness of a TV-program that communicates sustainable consumption and production in an entertaining, emotionally positive way (|sustainment|). The preliminary results show that viewer-consumers do not shy away from such a difficult topic if the communication style fits with their expectations. Moreover, spin-offs like a print magazine, a service-oriented website, and podcast offers have the potential to transform passive viewers into information seekers and eventually sustainability |followers|.

Keywords: sustainment; ecotainment; emotions; sustainable consumption; sustainable development; sustainability; media campaign; TV programmes; television programmes; sustainable production; magazines; websites; podcasts; sustainable lifestyles.

DOI: 10.1504/IJISD.2007.016933

International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development, 2007 Vol.2 No.2, pp.192 - 200

Published online: 30 Jan 2008 *

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