Keep Britain Tidy to re-launch online and engage with new breed of campaigners
30/01/2009 - Manchester
Encams, the environmental charity that runs the Keep Britain Tidy campaign, have chosen Reading Room to help the charity ‘connect’ with the Great British public through a new ‘socially inclusive’ online platform.
Up until now the main audience for Encams' online presence has been local authorities and partnership agencies that are looking for information and assistance with regard to environmental campaigns.
However, the body is now looking at a radical repositioning to engage with a new breed of users and help push their messages out through a grass roots network of individuals and communities.
To achieve this Reading Room has been selected from a recently appointed agency roster to create a completely new site under the Keep Britain Tidy branding.
“We’re looking to create something entirely different,” revealed Encams Web manager Keith Harris.
“We want to launch a site that is socially inclusive and really connects with communities. A destination where people that are concerned with the environment – with the state of the nation if you like – can visit, interact with one another and source inspiration and support.”
At the moment Encams has a main corporate site, www.encams.org, and a sizable stable of separate microsites that focus on specific campaigns, such as Eco Schools and Blue Flag Beaches.
The new portal – set to launch at www.keepbritaintidy.org this spring – would act as “a consolidation site”, according to Harris, bringing together the various strands of activity and campaigns and presenting one united front.
In terms of connecting with the fresh target audience, Reading Room is currently working on a design that Harris believes draws on the key interactive and community elements the web can offer.
He said it would showcase “social networking aspects” that include facilities for visitors to upload video and comment on issues that affect them, thus creating their own site content. The site will also host a blog.
“There’s far more emphasis on working with people in their communities and we feel this kind of offer will help get our messages across, while providing a reason for repeat visits.”
