Science Moms
Introducing Moms as New Messengers on The Dire Threats of Climate Change
Fenton partnered with Science Moms, a group of climate scientists and mothers, to build national awareness and inspire action on climate change. With the goal of empowering moms, particularly in key battleground states, we launched a multifaceted media campaign that reached parenting outlets, local news, and climate journalists. Despite a highly competitive news cycle in January 2021, the campaign succeeded in securing top-tier coverage in outlets like the Washington Post, LA Times, and BuzzFeed. Over the course of our work, the Science Moms campaign earned more than 6,800 media placements and over 3 billion impressions, including TV spots, radio interviews, and features in major publications like People Magazine and the New Yorker.
What We Did
- Media Relations
- Strategic Communications
- Campaign Development and Execution
- Targeted Advertising and Digital Strategy
- Press Outreach and Story Placement
- Social Media Strategy and Content Creation
- Event Coordination and Media Briefings
- Stakeholder Engagement and Advocacy
CHALLENGE
Climate change impacts all of us, but none more than our children. With extreme weather events on the rise from coast to coast and the immediate effects of climate change showing up in our everyday lives, many of us are concerned, but few feel like our actions can make a difference against this looming challenge that affects us all. Immediately after the 2020 election, a nonpartisan group of climate scientists – who are also moms – came together to inspire action around climate change. Founded by Potential Energy and led by renowned scientist Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, the Science Moms wanted to speak directly to those who can make a big impact: parents, and especially moms. Together, they aimed to break down climate change in simple and engaging ways to arm moms around the country with the knowledge they need to better understand the issue, and tools to take action. The Science Moms knew that their mission would be nearly impossible to achieve if nobody knew about it. Widespread public awareness was critical to reaching their target audience of American moms. To launch their campaign publicly, they came to Fenton.
APPROACH
We knew that to raise the profile of Science Moms, we had to spread their messaging far and wide, particularly through media engagement that would reach their target audience. To do this, Fenton targeted a wide range of mediums and industries: parenting outlets; local news in the target markets of Arizona, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina; environment and climate journalists, and the mainstream media. We focused on both national and local news to reach moms where they are at, as well as parenting outlets such as Scary Mommy. We targeted ads in Washington, D.C., Arizona, and Delaware to reach key policymakers with the message that moms are ready to take action.
IMPACT
Fenton introduced Science Moms to the world in January 2021 during a crowded news cycle, just days after the deadly insurrection on the Capitol. Despite the laser focus on political coverage, the Science Moms campaign was able to break through, landing stories in top-tier national outlets, including the Washington Post, the LA Times, Buzzfeed, and several others. Since then, Science Moms has been featured in the press over 6,800 times, leading to over 3 billion impressions. This includes over 700 broadcast TV placements and 2,700+ radio interviews from NBC Nightly News to Good Morning America to the Kelly Clarkson Show. Fenton also scored a virtual appearance on a CNN Town Hall on climate change alongside leaders of the Biden administration, as well as feature stories in the New Yorker, People Magazine, and a cover story in the Christian Science Monitor.
