Energy / Europe
Exploring Effective Energy-Saving Behavioral Interventions
Cathy Laxon, Communications Director at Motiva, discusses the Finnish Energy Saving Campaign initiated in response to the Russian War of Aggression in Ukraine. The campaign aimed to address rising energy prices by promoting energy-saving behaviors among Finnish households and companies.
Source material: Module 2: Designing behavioural interventions for real-life campaigns?
Summary
Cathy Laxon, Communications Director at Motiva, discusses the Finnish Energy Saving Campaign initiated in response to the Russian War of Aggression in Ukraine. The campaign aimed to address rising energy prices by promoting energy-saving behaviors among Finnish households and companies.
Utilizing behavior interventions, the campaign focused on changing everyday habits to reduce energy consumption during peak hours. The goal was to reach over 95% of Finnish households and achieve a 5% reduction in energy use during these times.
The campaign message was designed to be simple and memorable, encouraging participation without imposing guilt. Practical actions, such as lowering indoor temperatures, were promoted as part of a collective effort to save energy.
The campaign successfully engaged over 2 million people through social media and received extensive media coverage, including recognition from international outlets like the New York Times. This widespread engagement demonstrated the effectiveness of clear, actionable messaging.
Perspectives
Support for behavioral interventions
- Promotes clear, actionable steps that encourage energy-saving behaviors
- Builds trust in authoritative guidance, leading to higher participation rates
Concerns about campaign limitations
- Overlooks potential socioeconomic factors influencing energy consumption
- Assumes clear messaging alone can drive behavior change without addressing underlying variables
Neutral / Shared
- Campaign achieved a 7% decrease in electricity consumption in September 2022
- Engaged over 2 million people through social media and received extensive media coverage
Metrics
7%
electricity consumption reduction in September 2022 compared to the previous year
This reduction indicates the campaign's effectiveness in promoting energy-saving behaviors
the electricity consumption is September 2022 fell about 7% compared to the same month the previous year.
95%
percentage of campaign-aware individuals who reported taking energy-saving actions
This high participation rate reflects the campaign's resonance with the public
around 95% of those who were aware of the campaign reported taking at least one energy saving action.
over 2 million people units
people engaged through paid social media
A large reach suggests significant public engagement and awareness of the campaign
we reached by paid social media more than 2 million people.
Key entities
Key developments
Phase 1
The campaign aimed to encourage energy-saving behaviors among Finnish households and companies in response to rising energy prices. It utilized simple, actionable messages and community engagement to achieve measurable impact.
- The campaign aimed to encourage energy-saving behaviors among Finnish households and companies in response to rising energy prices, utilizing simple, actionable messages and community engagement
Phase 2
The campaign successfully reached over 95% of Finnish households, leading to a 7% decrease in electricity consumption in September 2022. It emphasized clear, actionable steps and built trust in authoritative guidance to encourage energy-saving behaviors.
- The campaign effectively reached over 95% of Finnish households, resulting in a 7% decrease in electricity consumption in September 2022 compared to the previous year
- Key interventions included clear, actionable steps like reducing indoor temperatures by one degree, which significantly encouraged energy-saving behaviors
- Trust in authoritative guidance was essential for the campaigns success, as citizens were more inclined to follow credible, fact-based advice
- The communication strategy was positive and empowering, promoting a sense of collective action rather than inducing guilt or pressure on individuals
- With over 2 million people engaged through paid social media and extensive media coverage, Finlands approach has become a model for other nations facing similar energy issues
- The campaigns next challenge is to sustain energy-saving behaviors by providing tools that assist households in managing their electricity usage based on supply and pricing