'Granny Call Center' Reminds Canadians to Turn Down the Thermostat and 'Put on a Sweater'

By Tracey E. Schelmetic, TMCnet Contributor

“Be a dear and put a sweater on.”

That's the message of grandmas everywhere, but the Canadian arm of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Loblaw, a large food retailer, hope to turn it into a national holiday and an annual effort to lower thermostat temps for at least one day. Or, as their publicity for the day says, “turn on a sweater.”

“National Sweater Day,” which will be held on February 9th, says the WWF, has a purpose. To remind Canadians that turning down the thermostat just one degree throughout the year can reduce an individual's carbon dioxide emissions for the year by 220 pounds. If every Canadian lowered the heat a few degrees this winter, says the environmental group, it would be equivalent to taking 300,000 vehicles off the road.

To reinforce the message, the organization has pulled together what it's calling a “Granny Call Center,” from which you can request a reminder from the grandma of your choice (or book a call for someone else). “On February 9th, WWF wants you to lower your heat and wear a sweater to show you're taking action against climate change. To make sure you put one on, Grannies are standing by to personally call and remind you. Pledge your support and book a call now,” says the Web site (http://www.sweaterday.ca.)

To emphasize this, a commercial to promote the “Granny Call Center” features a variety of grandmothers in a homey setting answering calls and urging unseen grandchildren to put on that sweater she knit for them that they never wear. (“It is stylish,” one grandmother insists.)

Ruth, a Scottish Grandma with a Glasgow accent as thick as haggis, can be heard to say. “Aye. How are ye, kiddo? Two degrees down is not goin' to kill ye, my love. Ye've got good Scottish blood in yer veins...hearty Scottish blood. Och, stop being so ornery and just wear the sweater! Thank ye!”

Since 2009, WWF and Loblaw have partnered for a number of public service announcements in Canada, encouraging citizens to take action and reduce their personal footprint by driving less, choosing sustainably sourced food and yes...putting on a sweater.

You can find the hilarious video here http://www.sweaterday.ca/ and book a call for a reminder today (if you live in Canada, of course).

After all, as the grandmas insist, “You never call us, so we're calling you.”

Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO East 2012, happening NOW in Miami, FL. ITEXPO (News - Alert) offers an educational program to help corporate decision makers select the right IP-based voice, video, fax and unified communications solutions to improve their operations. It's also where service providers learn how to profitably roll out the services their subscribers are clamoring for – and where resellers can learn about new growth opportunities. For more information on registering for ITEXPO registration click here.

Stay in touch with everything happening at ITEXPO. Follow us on Twitter.

(source: http://outbound-call-center.tmcnet.com/topics/outbound-call-center/articles/262769-granny-call-center-reminds-canadians-turn-down-thermostat.htm)