NRC Conference Recommends Target Audiences

One thousand recycling professionals gathered in San Francisco in late August for the National Recycling Coalition’s 23rd annual Congress and Exposition.

To kick-off the Congress, leading advertising executive Candy Cox of DDB Bass & Howes evaluated the success of recycling as a brand and offered recommendations to increase public participation in recycling. This year’s session was a follow-up to her presentation at the 2003 Congress, which received a standing ovation.

Using research exploring people’s reasons for recycling and for not recycling, including surveys and on-street interviews, Cox explained that most people recycle because they care about the environment. Society generally views recycling as an “aspirational attribute”, or one that is to be admired in one’s self and others.

The best recyclers have one or more of the following characteristics: age 65 or over, homeowners, middle class, without children living at home (grown children or childless), and health and/or community conscious. These people believe in recycling and are likely to participate regardless of convenience. People described as “typical recyclers” require minimal outreach efforts – they will recycle regardless and need little additional motivation. Outreach efforts to this audience are “preaching to the choir” and do little to invigorate new recyclers, increase tons collected or raise participation rates.

On the opposite end of the scale, Cox explained that non-recyclers don’t see recycling as easy or convenient and don’t feel it has value or relevance in their lives. It is very hard to convince these people that recycling is worth their time and effort.

To increase program participation and tons collected, Cox recommends program coordinators focus education efforts on two categories of people who fall between those who always recycle and those who never recycle - those who sometimes recycle. These “infrequent or potential” recyclers include those who believe in recycling and participate because they feel guilty if they don’t and those who believe in recycling, but also have a vague uneasiness about their efforts.

Cox advises recycling coordinators to target people in the 25 to 50 age group as the best “potential recyclers”, or the ones who are most likely to change their behavior.

Other presentations at the conference shared similar findings about effective recycling messages. Recycling coordinators can best achieve results by making recycling relevant to people’s lives. Messages and media need to incorporate the power, youth and vigor of the target audience. Make recycling fun and positive to create emotional connections and use people in the target age range to help potential recyclers personally identify with the behavior.