Research conducted by PASASA and partners in low income households indicate that members of low income households lack the knowledge and skills to address their energy safety needs. Furthermore, their perception of the risk is dangerously low. These factors can be mitigated by a winter household energy safety campaign. Collaborating in such a campaign is advantageous mainly because economies of scale and because the target audience will perceive the message to be more credible if it is delivered by more than one authoritative source.
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This concept document outlines key aspects of a nationwide campaign which will unite voices in an authoritative call for action. The theme of the campaign is “It’s Your Space Make It Safe.”
A detailed proposal is available which outlines the specifics of the campaign. This document serves to introduce the concept to prospective partners to generate initial interest in the project.
The context
· The Paraffin Safety Association is in the process of becoming the household Energy Safety Association of Southern Africa. This will be its first safety campaign in this new role.
· There are numerous stakeholders who are concerned with household energy safety but there is no united campaign, speaking to consumers with a single, authoritative safety voice.
· Harmful household energy incidents are responsible for unacceptably high levels of injury, death and loss of property. Children under the age of five years old are especially vulnerable.
· Africa is experiencing the fastest and largest urban migration in history which overburdens the provision of basic services. This in turn leads to household energy safety being compromised.
· While shortcomings in housing and energy systems play a major role, awareness and attitudes of individuals contribute significantly to individual household risk profiles.
· There is a very high level of exposure to risk as far as harmful household energy incidents are concerned.
· Forecasted winter power shortages may lead to blackouts which will exacerbate the problem.
The message
Under the theme; “It’s your space, make it safe”, The Be Safe this Winter the campaign aims to:
Raise household energy safety awareness among consumers and to stimulate their sense of responsibility and call them to action to make households safer. Instead of regretting the consequences, consumers will be encouraged to act immediately to minimise their risk.
- Suggest steps consumers can take to minimise their household risk profile.
The target audience
The campaign is designed to be helpful for households in South Africa but will have a particular focus on households in the Living Standards Measure of levels 1 – 7 (LSM 1-7). Although the campaign will reach a very large group of South African householders, the primary target audience will be people LSM 1 – 6 over the age of 16, an estimated 31,5 million people nationally. Choices of paid media will be made with this target audience in mind.
Basic campaign elements
The campaign will be based on the success and experience gained in similar national safety campaigns conducted in 2009 and 2010;
· Open air safety campaign events in at least 5 urban centres across the country involving shack burning and other safety demonstrations (West Rand, Polokwane, Bloemfontein, Port Elizabeth and Durban) which will include;
o Shack burning demonstrations, research and filming for future resource material
o Interviews with burn survivors which bring home the risk perception message
o Safety messaging using the performing arts
· Media Communication (print and electronic) in a minimum of 6 official home languages.
· A paid for campaign on five of the largest, national radio stations [more stations can be included if funding is increased];
o Basic, four-week public service announcement roll-out
o Outside radio broadcasts at the campaign events
o The planned 5 radio stations provide a potential reach of 16,655,000 (53%) of the target population (based on SAARF / RAMS research).
· Many safety information access points/sites across the country with trained Safety Messengers who will be equipped with printed resources covering;
o Home energy safety audits
o Basic home energy safety plans
· Additional media coverage (print, radio, television) due to press releases and event coverage
