KEEN’s Call to Action phone booth goes digital
Call your representatives from your couch or during your lunch break.
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Maybe you’ve seen the photos on social media or maybe you’ve taken one yourself while smiling inside the KEEN Call to Action phone booth, still holding a yellow telephone to your ear after you’ve left a message urging your senator in Washington D.C. to support public lands.
The #BetterTakesAction initiative launched at Outdoor Retailer + Snow Show in January and made appearances at a few events across the U.S. Now, the phone booth, along with its call scripts, has gone digital.
“Part of the pull in for people when they see the booth is that Instagram-worthy moment, but the impactful part is not the photo—it’s the phone call,” said Erin Gaines, KEEN Effect advocacy manager who spearheaded the project. “It’s not as cool and exciting as being in the booth, but we still want to make it accessible and easy for people.”
To participate, citizen advocates can now visit KEEN’s website for step-by-step instructions on how to make the call and what to say about a variety of causes, from cleaning our oceans to climate to recreation.
“I think that one of the big barriers people see to making phone calls or writing a letter is does this even matter? Is my voice heard?” said Gaines, who worked on Capitol Hill. “Yes. Every single phone call that goes into a congressional office, whether the message is left on a voicemail or given to a staff member, it’s logged and accounted for.”
She continued, “It’s important for members of Congress to hear when constituents are upset…but also if they want to deliver the message of thanks and support. Making the phone call is one of the best ways to make your voice heard.”
Gaines said the phone books and prompts are recreatable, so other brands, retailers, and organizations can utilize the tools. And of course, she still encourages photos posted with the hashtag #BetterTakesAction.
Who will you call first?
Don’t know who to call? Outdoor Industry Association is keeping tabs on members of Congress’ voting history. See who’s acing and who’s failing.
