There are three core issues we can’t afford to ignore this year. First, globally we experienced the hottest February in recorded history, second is that more than half the world’s population is going to the polls this year, including the UK.

Third, the World Economic Forum shared its Global Risks Report 2024 which warns of a global risks landscape in which it cites misinformation and disinformation as the biggest short-term risks, while extreme weather and critical change to Earth systems are its greatest long-term concern.

In the UK, we already know all about this. From 15-minute cities conspiracy theories, to

battling against misrepresentation of how much climate policies take to enact; it feels that the starting gun for the 2024 election has well and truly been fired. At ACT Climate Labs, we believe this election will probably bring the most climate misinformation we’ve ever seen.

Getting to the truth

Misinformation poses a grave threat to our society and the environment. We need to rethink media strategies to get cut through. Advertising is a powerful tool that campaigners should harness to get ahead – providing a potent avenue to reach mass audiences quickly and effectively. In an era where misinformation spreads rapidly through social media and other online platforms, campaigners need to be proactive in their communication efforts.

ACT coined the phrase ‘Persuadables’ in 2022 for a group of people that account for 69 percent of the UK population and are neither climate deniers nor climate activists. This group of Brits are hugely influential in the fight for climate action. Campaigners must engage with Persuadable audiences to ensure their message prevails over the misinformation propagated by adversaries.

The power of advertising

One powerful tool that philanthropic organisations should harness is advertising. It provides a potent avenue to reach a mass audience quickly and effectively. In an era where disinformation spreads rapidly through social media and other online platforms, they need to be proactive in their communication efforts.

ACT Climate Labs, in partnership with philanthropic collaborators and BCorp Media Bounty, has demonstrated the effectiveness of rethinking climate communication strategies through the lens of combating misinformation. Philanthropy can learn valuable lessons from such initiatives. To build trust with the public, people must understand what philanthropic organisations do, why they do it, and how it benefits them.

They should consider helping their grantees invest in diverse media approaches and seek assistance from advertising BCorps to enhance their communication efforts. By doing so, their work will become more effective, highlighting the positive impact of philanthropy and fostering greater public trust.

One of the key aspects that grantees need to focus on is developing robust anti-misinformation strategies. These are essential because they enable NGOs to mitigate the challenges posed by well-funded opponents. For instance, in the realm of climate activism, oil and gas companies are outspending clean energy advocacy groups, in fact the oil and gas sector had the largest spend at $1.3 billion. This vast financial gap makes it imperative for NGOs to be equipped with anti-misinformation tactics that can help level the playing field.

Philanthropic organisations can take a proactive role in assisting their grantees in developing anti-misinformation strategies. This support can include funding for media campaigns, fact-checking initiatives, and public education programs. By doing so, philanthropic organisations empower their grantees to compete effectively against well-funded adversaries and safeguard their missions.

A successful anti-misinformation strategy should encompass several elements:

Emotional messaging, that speaks to a strong personal benefit for Persuadables

More so than most, Persuadable cohorts have a need to prioritise their immediate vicinities.

Re-evaluating climate communications through the perspective of our audience to ensure they can always answer the question of ‘What’s in it for me?’ is key.

By tailoring language and themes to specific audience segments, climate experts can bridge the cultural gap and inspire meaningful action towards a sustainable future.

Being proactive, not reactive when thinking about neutralising misinformation

Recognising that conspiracies stem from confusion, distrust, and a feeling of anxiety and lack of control; we must reach people first with advertising campaigns aimed at Persuadables that tell positive, truthful stories about climate.

When misinformation has reached critical mass, we need to tackle it head on with rebuttals. The ‘Fact, Myth, Fallacy’ model was developed by academic John Cook to rebut misinformation in ways that are as ‘sticky’ as the original lie.

Embrace a diverse set of media

It’s important to think beyond the news. Persuadables get their cultural cues from a wide range of places, from TikTok to billboards and leaflets, so it’s time to embrace those rich media diets with communications.

At ACT we use a 70:30 split of digital to traditional advertising to reach people via trusted sources of information including TV and out-of-home. This investment pays off as we’ve found getting off digital Persuadables more people, more efficiently.

Collaboration

Collaborating with other organisations, including those from different sectors and industries, can amplify the impact of anti-misinformation efforts. For example, we collaborate with NGOs and ethical advertising agency Media Bounty to look at ways commercial skill sets can add value to campaigning.

We’ve repeatedly seen the power of well-executed climate communication campaigns. Our campaign for climate action organisation Possible, about the benefits of car-free cities, used trusted messengers from Birmingham to increase relatability and effectiveness. Positive associations with Possible saw an uplift of 27 percent to 47 percent, and sentiment around ‘neighbourhoods should be for people not cars’ saw an uplift of 40 percent to 59 percent, with a 22 percent increase in willingness to drive less and take public transport more regularly.

Advertising is a potent tool to be embraced and now is the time for us all to step up, recognising the urgency of the climate crisis and the need to get ahead of disinformation. The elections and the climate crisis will not wait, and neither can we. It’s time to act now.

Harriet Kingaby is Head of ACT Climate Labs at Media Bounty