Act 4 — Scene 2
<aside> 💡 Imagine... Unilever + Charity: Water created an interactive video series where viewers help the show’s host make construction decisions while building a sustainable water system for a local community.
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As organizations look to activism to help solve the world’s “wicked problems” and foster audience loyalty, they’ll need Edutainment initiatives that focus on Science, Social Issues, or Sustainability.
Edutainment alone can’t solve these problems. But brands and organizations can break down these topics in simple and interesting ways to create engaging content and make people feel passionate about a cause.
Many of the most powerful examples in Act 2 of our Edutainment story were from organizations and initiatives seeking to solve what Horst Rittel coined as 'Wicked Problems’.
Many of these wicked problems can be broadly categorized as being based around Science, Social Issues, or Sustainability. As an example, The UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals are often thought of as Wicked Problems.
Edutainment isn’t going to solve them alone, but it can certainly make positive change - particularly among the generations who are taking over our world.
One example is in health. According to a recent marketing study from Baylor University, storytelling that educates and entertains - aka "edutainment" - is a powerful communications tool that can lead to positive health-related changes among multicultural millennials.
*"*This study finds that by bolstering self-identity and employing health 'edutainment,' it is possible to have a positive impact on the health intentions and behaviors of the millennial generation" the researchers wrote.
Additionally, leading venture capital firm a16z’s exploration into the future of expertise included science fiction novelist Eliot Peper suggesting that any area with technical or complex topics should use the power of storytelling.
Eliot suggests channeling some approaches from one of the characters we met in Act 2 - none other than Richard Feynman.
<aside> 💡 Why this trend matters
Brand activism is on customers’ minds. They want to buy from companies and interact with nonprofits that share core values and care about issues affecting the world.But unpacking complex topics like the Coronavirus pandemic or climate change can be difficult.
The organizations and individuals that use Edutainment to do this in simple and interesting ways will be the most successful at attracting people who want to support a cause.
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Here are a few examples of how Edutainment is Tackling the World’s Wicked Problems...
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Emma Stone narrates this Netflix docuseries that provides insightful knowledge about complex topics involving how the brain works. From memory to anxiety to dreams, this show investigates what goes on in our heads. Viewers love it because of the way it presents information that was previously the sole preserve of scientists.
“Meeting Places” or “Common Ground,” is a feminist Nicaraguan NGO (non-government organization) that promotes youth and women’s rights.
It challenges social norms by combining multimedia strategies like a television drama, a radio talk show, and a feminist magazine, with leadership training and community education to help uplift youths and women.
Facebook has ordered an English remake of the Norwegian web series, Skam, for its Watch platform. This controversial teen drama is similar to Skins and was critically acclaimed for its handling of issues like homophobia, sexual assault, and mental illness.
What’s more, Skam has a choose-your-own-adventure approach, layering into multiple formats and platforms. They’re embracing Edutainment 3.0.
This is education more than Edutainment, but still a great example of trying to solve wicked problems for all. Patagonia’s campaign told customers not to buy their jackets because of over-consumption concerns. It was a mix of education, activism, good brand image, and marketing. Beyond that, it donated 100% of its tax savings to the environment, gave 1% of profits to the environment, and banned Wall Street bankers from buying their logo polar fleeces.
MTV Shuga is a coming-of-age drama that follows the lives of young friends as they navigate their sexual health, relationships and family issues, against a backdrop of bustling townships in East, West and South Africa.
Two recent research studies conducted by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine in South Africa and Tulane University in Nigeria confirmed the show’s edutainment approach increases awareness of HIV testing and impacts attitudes towards issues like gender-based violence and early pregnancy.
Gillette Venus recently unveiled the 'Summer Skinclusive Line' as the newest activation of the 'My Skin. My Way' campaign. This inclusive ad takes a "quarantine-friendly" approach to marketing by targeting consumers virtually, on a digital island in the video game 'Animal Crossing.'
The campaign includes over 250 diverse skin representations with 19 different skin types and 8 in-game skin tones. These avatars enable gamers to showcase common skin realities like freckles, acne, hair, cellulite, scars and stretch marks, vitiligo, tattoos, psoriasis, and differently-abled bodies.
Consumers are aligning their buying preferences with organizations that aren’t afraid to support a cause and speak out about social issues. According to an Accenture survey of 30,000 consumers across 35 countries, 62% of customers want companies to take a stand on issues such as sustainability and fair employment practices.
<aside> 🚀 Wavetable tip
Applying this along with the guidelines of ‘Brand as Neo Educators’ is a powerful combination
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As consumers align themselves with brands and organizations that support a cause, breaking down these topics in simple and interesting ways has one key element - storytelling. To communicate the “why” behind the “what” and the “how” of social issues, brands must be intentional with their storytelling so it’s effective and turns Wicked Problems into engaging content.
While Edutainment has been a successful approach for many mission-driven organizations, the majority of campaigns have used a singular delivery method. Edutainment 3.0 offers the opportunity to utilize multiple modes of delivery to show problems and solutions from a variety of angles.
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TikTok launched a public scholarship project to teach socio-cultural issues on the platform. This “Syllabus” provides a curation of the early landscape of TikTok Studies. It equips educators and researchers with resources to teach and think about TikTok through various socio-cultural perspectives.
"How many lives can a bottle have?" is the provocation behind this initiative between Coca-Cola and Italian vending machine company Ivs. PET bottles are stocked in the company's 20,000 vending machines and feature a campaign designed to sensitize consumers to the correct recovery of bottles made from recycled material so they can be recycled and reused again, helping save the planet from plastic.
Garnier’s Green Beauty launched an educational campaign that’s dedicated to sustainable consumption. ****The brand will give consumers access to expert knowledge and real-world advice about sustainability using Edutainment. The content is produced by National Geographic CreativeWorks and covers topics like plastic & packaging, water usage, and green sciences. Garnier hopes to empower 250 million people to live greener on the planet.
https://player.vimeo.com/video/601116628?badge=0&autopause=0&player_id=0&app_id=58479&h=8b363e0a7a
This event series brings together over 40 musicians, artists, creatives, and nonprofit partners to present their reactions to the Climate Crisis. The first edition of Undercurrent launched Brooklyn, New York with more than 11 original audiovisual art installations. Undercurrent seeks to utilize creativity to spark conversations about critical issues shaping our lives.