Let’s assume you wanted to foster a sustainable and vibrant community over time, and you wanted to be publicly accountable to that goal along the way. What would you do? The city of Port Phillip, Victoria, Australia, came up with 13 indicators of what they believed to be a sustainable community - not merely in an environmental sense but also in terms of social equity, economic viability and cultural vitality.
The Sustainable Community Progress Indicators (SCPI) project is an attempt to focus the efforts of a city and its citizens toward making life better and monitoring a real progress.
Among other initiatives there are “smile - per - hour” signs, accurately measured by a smile volunteer that indicate…exactly that.
Mayor Janet Bolitho says the signs are an attempt to encourage people to smile or say “G’day” to both neighbours and strangers. Smiling, she adds, encourages people to feel more connected with each other and safer, so it reduces the fear of crime.
In a related effort to get its residents to know each other, the city government also facilitates street parties. It leaves the details to the locals but offers organisational advice, loans out barbecues and sun umbrellas, and covers the public liability insurance. Many people who have lived in the same street for years meet each other for the first time at a street party.
Any lessons for brands???
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