Ecology is one of the fundamental issues communicated by territorial brands. In many documents on the development strategies of cities and municipalities, we find references to various pro-ecological initiatives undertaken by local authorities and involving residents. Ecology, broadly understood and defined in multiple aspects, has become a common tool for managing a territorial brand.
What is the reason for cities' interest in ecology?
At the core of urban ecology lies the policy of sustainable development, which aims to meet the basic needs of society and future generations while maintaining the functioning of the environment and its biodiversity. This is particularly important for a highly urbanized society (nearly half of the world's population lives in cities, and forecasts indicate that by 2050, 4 out of 5 Europeans will live in cities). Urban residents themselves exert pressure and demand pro-ecological actions from local authorities to improve their quality of life.
Good practices
And cities respond to this pressure from residents. The main themes of promotional, informational, and educational activities undertaken by local governments are urban greenery, anti-smog initiatives, and waste segregation. There are truly many examples of urban campaigns promoting ecology. Here are some of them: In Kraków, on the site of the former Rakowice-Czyżyny airport, the Kraków Central Park is being developed; in Białystok, the city's first so-called pocket park has been created; Zabrze has decided to reclaim 183 hectares of degraded land and transform it into recreational areas; and in Katowice, a saline graduation tower was recently built in the Zadole city park. Residents of Katowice have been able for several years to request the planting of trees in the city by using an app called “wCOP drzewo.” Meanwhile, in Tychy, an Intelligent Traffic Management and Control System operates, reducing the degradation of the road network, emissions, and consumption of electricity and liquid fuels.
Saline graduation tower in Zadole City Park in Katowice, photo by Mariusz Jurkowski
Campaigns with Ecology in the Background
The Business Consulting Agency, working closely with local government units in the field of promotion and marketing communication, also has numerous examples of campaigns with ecology in the background to showcase. Some of them can be read about in earlier blog posts, including here:
https://mediamiejskie.pl/blog/piknik-ekologiczny-event-edukacyjno-informacyjny; https://mediamiejskie.pl/blog/gramy-w-kolory-z-miastem-tychy
To the above examples, we can also add two campaigns from this year, prepared and implemented by our agency for territorial brands.
Permaculture Workshop
The first of such campaigns is the Eco Picnic, organized by the Municipality and Town Office of Czerwionka-Leszczyny. We supported this event with a permaculture workshop. We demonstrated to the residents of Czerwionka-Leszczyny how to design and manage crops, gardens, and green spaces using naturally occurring processes in nature (such as composting, water retention, and the cooperation of plant, animal, and fungal species) while adapting to existing climatic, soil, weather, and plant conditions.
A key aspect of these workshops was also to show that permaculture is about community integration around the themes of nature and the care of individual and shared green spaces.
Permaculture Workshop in Czerwionka-Leszczyny
Climate for Generations
The second example is the LIFE IP EKOMAŁOPOLSKA informational and educational campaign in the Silesian Voivodeship, aimed at increasing the ecological awareness of the region's residents. The campaign was conducted under the slogan "Climate for Generations" using three types of OOH media:
- LCD screens on Silesian Railways trains – passengers had the opportunity to watch an ecology-promoting spot during their journey..
- Citylights – placed at key locations throughout the region to remind viewers of small steps that lead to big changes.
- Advertisements on parcel lockers – reaching thousands of recipients daily in the Silesian Voivodeship, especially during the pre-holiday season.
Additionally, the campaign gained a personal touch through collaboration with influencer @ekocentryczka, who shared practical tips and motivated her followers to take action for the planet.
