Following on from the success of the first wave of Environmental Choices™ Haddock Research and Branding, Inc. is expanding the international scope for Wave 2, with the study being run in Canada, USA, UK, France, Australia and China. The online questionnaire will build on the insights from Wave 1, as well as track key attitudes towards climate change and key metrics. There is a limited opportunity for select organisations to be involved in the design of specific topic areas – only one Key Research Partner per sector.

Further information will be made available from the Environmental Choices section of the Haddock Research site.

Based on our Environmental Choices public opinion data, this article describes the 'political space' that Canadian politicians have to act on specific types of climate change policy. This document is part of a series - we are also releasing equivalent  discussions for the UK and the USA.

The imminent climate change meeting at Copenhagen (COP15) is providing an extra incentive for political parties to clarify where they stand on climate change, and what policies they support. In this article we consider the policy choices facing one particular politician – Michael Ignatieff, who has been effective leader of the Canadian Liberal party since December 10, 2008, and is Leader of the Official Opposition. On November 26, 2009, Michael Ignatieff made a speech critical of the Canadian government’s approach to climate change and announced a wide range of approaches (particularly using clean energy standards, supporting clean energy investments, support of cap-and-trade) with emissions targets set against 1990 levels.

You can download the press release in the PDF attachment at the bottom of this page.

Data for this press release comes from Environmental Choices Wave 1, Section report 2.b, Government Mandates for action. A free summary of the report is available via this link. For more details about the full report, and to purchase, please use this link.

The more we worked with our Environmental Choices™ survey data, and the more we discussed it with clients, colleagues and collaborators, the more we realised that the key focus of what we were doing was supporting low carbon innovation.

So, we decided to summarise these thoughts in one document, along with a flavour of the findings from our Environmental Choices™ study. This is now available in a 16-page document, in a downloadable PDF (around 8 megabytes), available at the bottom of this page.

More detailed information about the section reports are available on our website. The full reports are available to purchase, but there is also a certain amount of information available free of charge (on registration). Also, take a look at our News section, where we provide detailed reviews on specific topics.

Canadians are particularly disapproving of oil companies for their stance and actions on climate change. This level of concern reflects the tension between Canadians’ relatively high level of concern about climate change, and Canada’s actual poor climate change performance, much of which is related to the development of the tar sands. A number of Canadian public commentators, and organisations, are leading the debate about the environmental impacts of tar sands development.

In a nutshell

In each of Canada, England and the US, ‘Esso / Exxon’ is the most widely disapproved of company for its stance and actions on climate change. Shell is also quite widely disapproved of in Canada and England. Netting all oil companies together, we can see that in each country, ‘Big Oil’ is the most widely disapproved of industry sector when it comes to climate change.

Big Oil is particularly disapproved of in Canada where 8.1% of Canadians named an oil company as one they disapproved of for its stance/actions on climate change. This compares with 2.3% of English people and 4.7% of Americans. Amongst Climate Citizens, the proportions are higher on this issue - 13.3% of Canadian Climate Citizens, 4.7% of English Climate Citizens and 11.1% of American Climate Citizens disapprove of at least one oil company for its stance/actions on climate change.

Quebecers are particularly disapproving of oil companies - 12.6% did so. In contrast, 7.8% spoke approvingly of the efforts of Hydro-Quebec on climate change.

The study, run in late-September/early-October 2008, was conducted amongst nationally representative samples of over 1,000 people per country in Canada, England and the USA.

You can download the full press release in the PDF attachment at the bottom of this page.

Data for this press release comes from Environmental Choices Wave 1, Section report 3.g, Carbon Offsets & Business Reputations and from Section report 3.b, Organisations and Campaigns. Free summaries are available in files called Haddock EC_W10809 Free Summary 3g Carbon and Business.pdf and Haddock EC_W10809 Free Summary 3b Organisations and Campaigns.pdf. For more details about the section report covering business reputations, and to purchase, please use this link.

SPSS profiles Haddock Research in today’s press release as one of the organizations, and the rising analytical stars, using its PASW® Statistics

SPSS has profiled Haddock Research in recognition of the innovative analysis Haddock applied in the Environmental Choices™ section report 3.h ‘Branding of Climate Change’. SPSS, one of the world’s leading providers of predictive analytics software and solutions, was particularly impressed by Haddock’s use of SPSS’s CHAID analysis module coupled with Haddock’s in-house Best/Worst Analysis of Rating Scales to identify the key target groups that positively connect with the 6 branding concepts tested within the report. As part of a world-wide marketing campaign focussing on its Predictive Analytics Software (PSAW) suite of products, SPSS features Haddock amongst commercial heavy-weights as a leading light for cutting edge analytics.

SPSS announced, July 13, 2009:

‘Predictive Analytics and Statisticians Elevated to Leading Competitive Weapons for Organizations Worldwide’ - Smart and savvy organizations worldwide are harnessing the exponential growth of data with Predictive Analytics to better understand, translate and visualize how customers, constituents or employees will likely behave tomorrow.’

SPSS continues to state that:

‘Following are examples of organizations – and the rising analytical stars – who are improving customer satisfaction, analyzing survey data to capture the Voice of the Customer, enhancing workforce planning, and driving marketing effectiveness with PASW Statistics.’

Within the press release, we are quoted as follows:

‘Haddock Research & Branding Inc., a full-service market research agency focusing on climate change and the low-carbon economy, applies PASW Statistics for environmental survey research. Peter Winters, president of Haddock Research & Branding, Inc., said, “We use PASW Statistics to measure how the public feels, thinks and acts to climate change and the low-carbon economy and how this can be used to guide business and policy action.  The software has given power to our analysis and enabled us to put qualitative insight with quantitative robustness.” ‘

At Haddock, we are very proud of the recognition bestowed upon us by SPSS. We see their suite of products as invaluable tools to help develop, test and apply innovative quantitative research in ways which really help our clients fully understand their market, thus enabling effective marketing plans, customer communication, and commercial strategies.

In more detail:

• Sometimes a simple cross-tab analysis is all that is needed. More often we find that we need to interrogate the data further to uncover useful ways to understand public opinion. Principally using Excel and SPSS, we test ideas about the market, which includes applying relevant penetration and profile indices, cluster analysis segmentations, CHAID analysis, heat maps, scatter plots, and structural equation modelling (AMOS).

• Specific know-how research techniques which have been developed, tested and applied by Haddock Research include the 3-fold climate change attitudinal segmentation of Climate Citizens, Mild Greens and Sceptics & Uninvolved, the development of an Alignment Index, and the Best/Worst Analysis of Rating Scales for cross-country comparison of rating scales. 

• We critically apply the latest thinking in terms of understanding what people do, and what drives people to do those things. Quantitative research has the power to uncover underlying ‘truths’ that can be misinterpreted by relying solely on qualitative research. For example, an underlying assumption too often made through qualitative research is that brand success is derived from positive associations and feelings. Yet, quantitative analysis demonstrates that it is principally the other way around – it is usage of, and exposure to, a brand which largely drives brand feelings.

• We understand the importance of a well-designed questionnaire, and apply judgement in the interpretation of the survey results. We are particularly wary of respondent confabulation in the design and analysis of our studies. We also apply appropriate statistical significance testing in the analysis of data, and are sensitive to the assumptions underlying these tests – such as with comparisons between countries where different cultural norms apply.

About SPSS:

SPSS is the leader in predictive analytics technologies. For more than 37 years, SPSS has enabled its customers—more than 120,000 corporations, academic institutions, healthcare providers, market research companies and government agencies—to better focus their operations and improve their performance. Our software helps organizations optimize interactions with their customers, regardless of whether they're patrons, employees, patients, students, or citizens, and ensure that the actions they are taking today will positively affect their ability to reach tomorrow's goals.

SPSS customers include:

·         Customers in more than 100 countries around the world use SPSS analytics

·         Both the Republican and Democratic parties poll citizens using analytics from SPSS

·         All 50 U.S. state governments use analytics from SPSS

·         The top 10 largest market research firms use SPSS software

·         More than 90% of the top U.S. universities use SPSS software

·         More than 85% of the top consumer packaged goods companies use SPSS analytics

·         The top 10 pharmaceutical companies in the world use SPSS analytics

·         The largest newspaper companies in the U.S. use SPSS software

An easy-download PDF version of the full SPSS press release is featured below.

Haddock Research responds to the UK government’s 2009 “Heat and Energy Saving Strategy Consultation” document 
 

Addressing climate change is an urgent challenge and we do agree with the level of ambition set out in the consultation document. Our comments are mainly to do with identifying the best way of marketing this plan to the British people. 

The plan correctly talks about the benefits of a holistic ‘whole-house’ approach to addressing the energy needs of a home.  

Yet, there are also benefits in a ‘whole-person’ approach. The ‘central hero’ of marketing activity is the householder who would, or would not, undertake the work. We need to have a complete understanding of what could motivate him to action, and what the potential barriers might be.  

And there are also benefits in a ‘whole-society’ approach. This acknowledges that people interact and influence each other in what they do – and certain ways of doing things become the norm for a particular time. 

Government policy needs to have a detailed holistic understanding of people and society in developing policies to reach its objectives. 
 

You can download our full response to the UK government’s 2009 “Heat and Energy Saving Strategy Consultation” in the PDF attachment at the bottom of this page.

Data for this press release comes from Environmental Choices Wave 1, Section report 3.c, Climate change and the home. A free summary is available in a file called Haddock EC_W10809 Free Summary 3c Home.pdf. For more details about the section report, and to purchase, please use this link.

The G20 Communiqué focuses on investment, rather than carbon regulation or carbon taxes, to build the low-carbon economy 
 

Earlier today, the G20 asserted their commitment to “building a resilient, sustainable, and green recovery” by “the best possible use of investment” which “will make the transition towards clean, innovative, resource efficient, low carbon technologies and infrastructure”. 

Findings from Haddock Research suggest that this will attract broad public support – at least in Canada, England and the USA. Haddock Research tested public approval of three main approaches to tackling climate change - using attitudinal statements to do with “investment in green transport infrastructure”, “carbon regulation” and “carbon taxes”. In each country, “investment” was broadly popular; “carbon regulation” had mixed support, and “carbon taxes” were broadly unpopular. 
 

You can download the full press release in the PDF attachment at the bottom of this page.
 

Data for this press release comes from Environmental Choices Wave 1, Section report 2.b, Government mandates for action on climate change. A free summary is available in a file called Haddock EC_W10809 Free Summary 2b Government Mandates.pdf. Full details of the section report will be available soon.

How Americans feel and think about coal; & the impact of the Repower America Campaign 
 

In late-September/early-October 2008, Haddock Research conducted a survey which included questions about the associations and emotions people have towards coal, as well as awareness and support for the Repower America campaign. The study was run amongst nationally representative samples of over 1,000 people per country in Canada, England and the USA.  

Given the grave threat posed by coal to the health of the planet, it is striking that coal has such positive associations for so many people – and evokes so many positive feelings. It is also clear that these associations, and related emotional attachments, do vary from country to country. 

In the USA, the most common associations are to do with coal’s role as a fuel and in industry – such as by offering abundant energy, being cheap and providing electricity. Amongst a large number of people, it also stirs warm, cosy and nostalgic thoughts – such as of BBQs, childhood and Christmas. These types of associations most commonly makes people feel calm, confident, nostalgic, desire and give a warm glow.  

A smaller proportion of Americans have more negative thoughts about coal, such as to think about it being black, bad or of death. Only a few (4%) think about climate change / fossil fuel / it being non-renewable when asked to state up to 3 associations they have about coal. Those who do associate coal with climate change generally have negative feelings about coal – it makes them annoyed, angry, disgusted, sad, unamused and scared. 
 

You can download the full press release in the PDF attachment at the bottom of this page.

Data for this press release comes from Environmental Choices 2008, Section report 3.a, Power generation: Reactions to coal & nuclear power; & Al Gore's plan for 100% renewable electricity in 10 years, in the USA. A free summary is available in a file called Haddock EC2008 Free Summary 3a Power Generation.pdf. For more details about the section report, and to purchase, please use this link.

Public recognition of the climate crisis is a partisan issue in the USA 

Whilst overall 30% of Americans can be classified as being Skeptics / Uninvolved, research by Haddock Research and Branding shows that public recognition of the climate crisis is a strongly partisan issue in the USA. 51% of Republican supporters are skeptical / uninvolved about climate change compared to just 19% of Democratic supporters.  

Should John McCain be elected president of the United States on 4^th November 2008, this research suggests that he could have a particularly difficult time persuading his Republican supporters to back strong climate change policies. Indeed, he could face considerable hostility to such policies from his political base. 
 

You can download the full press release in the PDF attachment at the bottom of this page.

Data for this press release comes from Environmental Choices Wave 1, Section report 1.a, Attitudes (towards climate change). A free summary is available in a file called Haddock EC_W10809 Free Summary 1a Attitudes.pdf. For more details about the section report, and to purchase, please use this link.

A recent international study by Haddock Research found that the majority of Canadians think that climate change is caused by human activity, and a majority also thought it to be a very serious threat to the planet. 92% of Canadians know at least something about climate change.

38% of all Canadians think that their prime minister, Stephen Harper, is “wrong-thinking and/or annoying in his opinion or actions to do with climate change” – rather more than any other politician.  Stéphane Dion, leader of the Liberal party, does better than Stephen Harper on this issue – but not as well as one might expect.

Certainly climate change has become a partisan issue in Canadian politics, but an explanation of this could also be the way that the Liberal party’s opponents have framed the Green Shift plan. It has been dubbed the Carbon Tax by the Conservatives, and taxes are an unpopular way of moving to a low-carbon economy. Research by Haddock Research shows that, in common with citizens from Britain and the USA, most Canadians do not agree with the notion of raising taxes as part of a comprehensive green strategy. Canadians are much more supportive of government investment and regulation to tackle climate change.

41% of all Canadians have found David Suzuki effective in shaping their thoughts about climate change.

You can download the full press release in the PDF attachment at the bottom of this page.

Data for this press release comes from Environmental Choices 2008, Section report 2.a, Influencers on Climate Change and social tipping points. A free summary is available in a file called Haddock EC2008 Free Summary 2a Influencers.pdf. For more details about the section report, and to purchase, please use this link.