Case Study: How LiveWell Springfield Got Citywide Buy‑In for Clean Energy, Fast.
LiveWell Springfield, a coalition of over 30 organizations working to build a culture of health in Springfield, MA, wanted to educate the community about Community Choice Energy, a program to switch from fossil fuels to cleaner energy.
They Faced a Communication Roadblock
There were a few problems getting there:
Internal teams needed to agree on what information to focus on, and which specific audiences in our community to direct the messaging to.
Translating complexities of the program would be difficult to achieve in a way that built trust for an entirely new approach to the community's energy usage.
The process could drag on without clarity, causing the city to remain reliant on fossil fuels, and worsening Springfield’s reputation as the asthma capital of the U.S.
Without a clear way to tell the story, meetings stalled, decisions froze, and the city risked continuing its dependence on fossil fuels, deepening public health issues in the asthma capital of the U.S.
They Needed Motion Design
to Meet the Mission
Our role was to help make complex messaging clear, fast, and tailored to their audience.
A proven track record with nonprofits and municipal campaigns.
A fast, accurate, and streamlined production process.
Messaging control tools so stakeholders could give clear, structured input, and stay aligned.
Most importantly, we understood how to translate information into a narrative that was easy to process and take action on.
An example pamphlet from their team
A sample of our explainer video
A Plan To Move the Project Forward
Each communication strategy played a key role, but the explanatory video the campaign's anchor. It allowed for the most important information to be disseminated and understood quickly by the local community, accelerating decision-making.
Communication Strategies
Animated Explainer Video
Summarize to city officials and community leaders what CCE is and how it specifically benefits the Springfield, MA citizens
Radio Spots
Dive deeper into the issue through conversation
Virtual Trainings
Teach community leaders to communicate about CCE clearly and effectively
Tabling
Attending in-person events to meet the community where they are, to share info
Cultural Arts & Events
Utilize creative mediums to demonstrate the importance of the work based on the city’s unique demographics
Print & Press Coverage
Spreading the message across preferred media channels that the public accesses
Examples of communication strategies: Trainings, Tabling, & Murals
Campaign video launches online and presented to City Council.
City Council unanimously approves motion on Community Choice Energy
Mayor signs off on Community Choice Energy & issues an RFP for an Energy Aggregator
CCE consultant begins to craft a plan to execute on aggregation
Public Review and comment period commences
Department of Public Utilities Approves Plan
Residents & Department of Energy Review the plan and assess next steps
2022
2022
2023
2025
2024
2024
Present
The City Council passed the motion
Their team saved months to years of decision time
The mayor approved the switch to a green energy provider
The project lead got a promotion
A Win for Health, Climate, and Community You Can Measure
LiveWell Springfield is still fighting for health equity, but now they’re doing it with more clarity, more funding, and a win under their belt.
platform engagement (Views)
Legend
YouTube
In-Person
Takeaways
Clarity over Quantity
In the case of the video, it was important to recognize that, alongside other forms of marketing materials, the video did not need to reach every home in the city. Instead, it just needed to reach the right audience: city officials who would vote on a motion, and community leaders who could share about the issues in conversation with the public.
Measurable Results
The video help to achieved a unanimous approval from the Springfield City Council to move forward with a Community Choice Energy initiative, after gaining a clear, visual understanding of its impact on the city.
In addition, future campaigns within the city will utilize similar campaign strategies and the medium of animation to raise awareness of the community's ability to opt-out and remain in control of their energy provider.
