Decoding environmental narratives through strategic messaging and audience insight
The challenge
Population Matters is tackling one of the most polarising – and vital – issues of our time: how humanity and the planet can thrive together. But they faced a problem that strategy alone couldn’t solve.
The conversation around population had become toxic. Audience support was fragmented. The organisation knew it had a message the world needed to hear – but no clarity on who would listen, how to reach them, or how to shift the narrative.
They needed to start the right conversation, with the right people, in the right way.
And that meant doing the work many campaigns skip: finding out who to speak to, how to speak to them, and where that conversation would matter most.
“All our enviromental problems become easier to solve with fewer people, and harder – and ultimately impossible – to solve with ever more people.” says Sir David Attenborough, Population Matters patron.
Our approach: Reframing the issues
We began with a focused workshop to sharpen the brief and uncover hidden assumptions. The goal was simple: turn data into dialogue.
We helped Population Matters define five core audiences across the UK, Nigeria, and the US. These included both supporters and sceptics, policymakers and the public, each with different motivations, media habits, and levels of awareness.
From there, we ran large-scale audience intelligence research using AI-powered tools and deep listening methods. We scraped social platforms, news sources, blogs, and forums. We mapped keywords, sentiment, influencers, and the context in which population issues were being discussed – or ignored.
This wasn’t just analysis. It was a forensic mapping of the emotional and intellectual terrain Population Matters needed to navigate.
The solution
The result? Five comprehensive audience archetypes, each backed by data and behavioural insight.
For every group, we built out:
Core beliefs and barriers
– Platform preferences and media consumption patterns
-Key messaging hooks, tone of voice, and language to avoid
-Influencer ecosystems and trusted sources
-Strategic recommendations on when, where and how to engage
We didn’t just say “target Gen Z” or “reach policymakers.” We showed how to connect – where they are, how they speak, and what will resonate.
We translated complex data into human truths and gave Population Matters a roadmap to turn mission into movement.
The impact
A new starting point for communications strategy.
Population Matters now has clarity on who their audiences really are and how to speak to them with relevance and respect.
More insight, less guesswork.
Instead of assumptions, their team is now guided by rich behavioural insight that can shape everything from campaign planning to policy influence.
Messaging designed to engage, not alienate.
We helped detoxify a charged subject by identifying values-based messaging that connects across borders.
Smarter, more focused campaigns.
The research didn’t just inform strategy it made it more efficient. Knowing where to focus saves time, reduces cost, and increases return.
