Strategic storytelling and framing in sustainability campaigns : a digital comparative analysis in Finland’s clean energy transition for shaping public engagements

Abstract

Finland’s clean-energy transition depends strongly on public engagement and acceptance of sustainability initiatives. As major actors in this transition, two very well-known companies, Fortum and Neste, communicate their environmental commitments through formal sustainability reports and public-facing social media campaigns. This study investigates how the two companies frame sustainability narratives in their sustainability reports, how these narratives are translated into digital campaigns, and how framing and storytelling strategies shape public engagement online. This article conducts a comparative qualitative content analysis of publicly available 111 social media posts using Entman's (1993) framing functions and Goffman's (1974) narrative styles using NVivo software. Overall, both companies engaged in framing the clean energy theme with strong emphasis placed on moral evaluations and treatment recommendations. Both companies predominantly used informative and dramatic storytelling narratives to present complicated technical topics, such as energy, in a more accessible, relatable, and visually captivating manner. Additionally, the engagement analysis indicated that the posts that framed answers around solutions and moral responsibility received the most interactions from audiences. When comparing the reports to the digital campaigns, there is considerable overlap in the overall themes, but a level of simplification of difficult-to-read and understand content to make it easier for a wider audience. The findings of this study will provide organisations with valuable information on how to improve overall public engagement during the transition to clean energy. It also emphasises the importance of the transparency of their reports, the emotional impact of their messaging, and the coherence of their messages across multiple platforms to positively impact sustainability communication.