TY - CHAP

T1 - Edutainment in sustainability

T2 - Can sustainability communication also be fun?

AU - Saleh, Mohamad Saifudin Mohamad

PY - 2022/11/10

Y1 - 2022/11/10

N2 - Sustainability communication is often regarded as a complex process involving heavy sustainability messages related to environmental, social, and economic issues. The audience is often disengaged from the sustainability messages delivered by communicators. Therefore, a communicator needs to incorporate the concept of edutainment, which emphasises fun learning in education, to allow sustainability communication to be more stimulating and less technical. This chapter highlights the edutainment concept and its connection to sustainability communication. Specifically, this chapter discusses several edutainment tools such as films, dramas, television shows, music, and games to be utilised by the communicator in communicating sustainability messages. This chapter chooses to illuminate the matter from a range of Malaysian examples, such as the ‘Hijau’ (Green) song and the environmental film Duyung (Mermaid). Moreover, this chapter also underlines the importance of celebrity appearances in sustainability communication, especially those with a strong influence and popularity among their fans and followers. One example is Maya Karin, a Malaysian celebrity who is also known as a green activist. Overall, this chapter emphasises the importance of understanding the right edutainment tools for the right sustainability messages and audiences. More importantly, the communicator needs to ensure that the fun element will not diminish the true meaning and aim of sustainability, while making sustainability communication less dry and dull.

AB - Sustainability communication is often regarded as a complex process involving heavy sustainability messages related to environmental, social, and economic issues. The audience is often disengaged from the sustainability messages delivered by communicators. Therefore, a communicator needs to incorporate the concept of edutainment, which emphasises fun learning in education, to allow sustainability communication to be more stimulating and less technical. This chapter highlights the edutainment concept and its connection to sustainability communication. Specifically, this chapter discusses several edutainment tools such as films, dramas, television shows, music, and games to be utilised by the communicator in communicating sustainability messages. This chapter chooses to illuminate the matter from a range of Malaysian examples, such as the ‘Hijau’ (Green) song and the environmental film Duyung (Mermaid). Moreover, this chapter also underlines the importance of celebrity appearances in sustainability communication, especially those with a strong influence and popularity among their fans and followers. One example is Maya Karin, a Malaysian celebrity who is also known as a green activist. Overall, this chapter emphasises the importance of understanding the right edutainment tools for the right sustainability messages and audiences. More importantly, the communicator needs to ensure that the fun element will not diminish the true meaning and aim of sustainability, while making sustainability communication less dry and dull.

KW - Sustainability sciences, Communication

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85143086184&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/e1e0dce0-1220-3a23-8ddc-9c75fdfd2102/

U2 - 10.4324/9781003309642-13

DO - 10.4324/9781003309642-13

M3 - Chapter

AN - SCOPUS:85143086184

SN - 9781032314198

SP - 188

EP - 199

BT - Sustainability Communication across Asia

A2 - Saleh, Mohamad Saifudin Mohamad

A2 - Rahman, Nur Atikah A

A2 - Kasuma, Shaidatul Akma Adi

PB - Taylor and Francis Inc.

ER -