The similarities between the marketing practices of the fossil fuel and tobacco industries are well documented. Both have minimized public health damages in order to operate unchecked. In 2011, looking for an innovative way to dispel myths and spread science about climate change, Al Gore and his colleagues at The Climate Reality Project turned to Arnold Worldwide because of the cause-related work for the truth® Campaign, the hugely successful national anti-tobacco program. I was part of a team that was invited to generate a portfolio of ideas that would be used to douse climate denier narratives in public.
Mr. Gore came to the agency to brief us on the dynamics involved with understanding this problem. From this and subsequent briefings with the Climate Reality Project team we were able to share a portfolio of over 20 concepts with Al Gore. One of the ideas that emerged above the rest was called "Reality Check". Working together with skepticalscience.com the idea was to develop a click-and-drag-ready payload of easily digestible facts and rebuttals to drop on climate science deniers wherever their conversations are taking place – chatrooms, comment boards, blogs, etc. This concept was further developed when we submitted it and 3 other ideas to the PSFK Gaming for Good competition, where Al Gore selected 10 finalist ideas – our team generated 3 of 10. View Finalists.
2012 • Reality Drop
In 2012 Arnold launched a fully-formed social media game called, Reality Drop. You can watch this video explaining how it worked, and read Climate Reality Project’s announcement below.
"After the hottest year on record in the continental U.S. in 2012, coupled with a number of devastating dirty weather events, it’s become increasingly clear we are living with the impacts of carbon pollution and a warming climate, and the polls show it. Yet despite this reality, climate deniers continue to dig in. A recent journalistic exposé found that wealthy, anonymous donors have funneled yet more money— $120 million — in recent years to groups that deny climate change and block efforts to solve it. That’s why we’re introducing Reality Drop, an interactive online tool designed to change the conversation around climate change. Here’s how Reality Drop works. We start with an online library of more than a hundred of the most common climate change myths deniers try to propagate — the same myths you might read in news stories, online comment threads, hear on talk radio, or even run across in your community or workplace. For each one, Reality Drop offers a simple, succinct rebuttal, grounded in the most up-to-date climate science — without an attitude. It’s just the facts, but easy to understand and share, no matter who you’re talking to. So take a look — it’s a very exciting tool build to help all of us change the climate conversation and turn denial to action."