Breathe Easy: Mount launches new Air Aware campaign
Alicia Fraser // March 9, 2012
Flashback. It’s your childhood. You hold your breath and count to see how long you can hold it. I’m sure you know the game. Most of us played it. Well, you will soon notice posters around Mount Saint Vincent University (MSVU) campus asking you to do the same thing.
Why, you ask? Don’t worry–the Mount isn’t asking you to revert back to your childhood head-rush games. It’s for completely different reasons.
If you haven’t heard of “Air Aware”, you’ll start noticing the campaign very soon around campus.
For those of you who don’t know, the Air Aware campaign has been created by the Joint Occupational Health & Safety Committee (JOH&S Committee), the Public Affairs team, and the International Office at MSVU to promote a scent-free environment on campus. It aims to promote student health and a healthy environment on campus.
So, why change the campaign? If I’ve learned anything in my endeavours as a public relations student, a campaign can only be effective when an audience is engaged. What happens when a campaign does not engage its audience?
Well, in this case, the campaign gets re-branded.
The original campaign featured a young male looking uncomfortable (presumably about the air quality). This turned out to be a little too ambiguous. Unfortunately, the original campaign was not as well-received as initially hoped, and only appealed to a small portion of the student population. For this reason, a new campaign was created.
Jamie Swindells, Chair of the JOH&S Committee, hopes the re-branding will increase students’ awareness of the issue and make them think more about the health of their fellow students.
“The new Air Aware campaign provides a light-hearted take on a very serious topic for many Mount students and staff. In a world where we are concerned about our health and about being environmentally conscious, we hope the campaign will increase awareness of the potential impact of using scented products. We hope those who see the campaign will think twice about using scented products, hopefully making a difference to everyone on campus.”
If you want to know how the campaign is going to engage more students, think back to the “how long can you hold your breath” challenge.
Lindsay Lafosse, Communications & Marketing Advisor with the Public Affairs Office, describes exactly how the new take on the campaign will target a larger portion of the student population.
“The concept of ‘How long can you hold your breath?’ came from a brainstorming exercise focused on increasing awareness through audience engagement. We wanted viewers to empathize with members of our community who are affected by scented products and find themselves in a situation with two options: A) Breathe and get a headache (shown in the previous campaign), or B) Don’t breathe. For those who aren’t affected by scents, it’s hard to empathize with the first option, but anyone can hold their breath and time themselves. Consider standing in line at the cafeteria, taking an elevator ride in Seton or attending class. At the moment when you can’t hold your breath any longer, think about those who can’t without consequence. It’s at this moment when people can understand the impact, when the ‘funny’ images of crossed eyes and bloated cheeks become serious. I hope the campaign encourages everyone to support the healthy option of being air aware and scent-free.”
The original campaign wasn’t connecting with the right audience–it was directed at those directly affected by scented products. The new campaign is more universal and engaging. Similar to that silly childhood game, the new Air Aware campaign focuses on something everyone can do. Keep in mind the campaign is meant to engage students, but its light-hearted tone is not meant to lessen the importance of the issue.
Before you argue that it is your right to choose what products to wear, look at the big picture. If your friend was sensitive or allergic to scented products, would you use them around your friend? You don’t have to think about the answer to this question. You simply wouldn’t wear scented products around them. So it shouldn’t be any different when thinking of your fellow classmates.
You may not be friends with the girl who sits in front of you in class, but she is someone else’s friend and she is your classmate. Is it fair for you to wear scented products and compromise her health?
It is as simple as the right to education. Everyone has the right to live a healthy life and to breathe fresh air.
Next time you think of wearing scented products at MSVU, hold your breath. Count how long you can hold it for–and think twice before you decide to wear that new perfume on campus.
