people power2012 justinepannett_puppypower
TRANSCRIPT
Do puppies have secret powers?The importance of understanding irrational human behaviour and its impact on
campaign effectiveness.
Justine Pannett, Senior Campaigns Manager. RSPCA@justine_RSPCA
Contents•Why do we campaign?
•The changing landscape of influence
•The model for behaviour change
•Puppy power: audience insights case study
•Working with the enemy to deliver change
•Summary & questions
Why do we campaign?
• Definitions of campaigning…
The mobilising of forces by organisations or individuals to influence others in order to effect an identified and desired social, economic,
environmental or political change.NCVO
An organised course of actions to achieve a goal.Oxford Dictionary
The changing landscape of influence
What people say they do, and what they actually do are two different things.
Needed a more long-term view to affecting change.
Issues not aligned to any particular socio-economic group, but to attitude.
Our messages were not getting through.
Consumer pollingFrom where would you consider getting a puppy?
Answer: A pet shop
2008 - pre campaign: 29%
2008 – post campaign: 11% 2009: 20%!!!
Responsible puppy buying campaign
The model for behaviour change
Pre-contemplation
Contemplation
Preparation/Consideration
Action/Purchase
Maintenance/Purchase
maintenance
Recognising that not everyone thinks or
acts the way you do
Taking a ‘bottom up’ not ‘top
down’ approach
Putting the audience at the heart of the
intervention
Recognising the barriers to change and working with
them where possible
Understanding of the context in which we’re working – consumerism!!
How does this relate to puppies?
The problem
1 in 5 people who have bought a puppy in the last three years no longer have their dog.
TNS, 2011
Drivers
Puppy buying craze!!
Cute puppies
Celebrity influence
Ease of buying
The result
Audience segmentationFanatics
Enthusiasts
Casual
Indifferent
‘Casual’ audience
Triggered by a thought or aspiration
Respond to the ‘awww’ factor
Lifestyle choice/emulate an image of perfection
Hypotheses testing
People are influenced by aesthetics due to nature
Positive ingrained images around dogs as perfection and completion cause us to make
incorrect purchases
People are now primarily consumers and dogs are
consumable objects
Nature
Positive messages
Culture
‘Breed as brand’
Strong correlation between ‘pedigree’ & ‘quality’
If the breed/brand doesn’t deliver, take it back
The ‘awww’ factor is overwhelming (secret powers!!)
Everyone thinks they’re an expert on dogs – they don’t seek advice and don’t want to be told
Decision to get a dog deeply ingrained or strong impulse decision
Puppies had a much bigger impact on people’s lives than they imagined and were left feeling guilty about ‘letting the puppy down’
People are concerned about how dogs are bred for looks, but do not feel responsible for the problem
Pre-contemplation •Opportunity to influence decision to get a dog very slim as deeply ingrained
Contemplation •or…decision is made impulsively in response to a trigger, so limited opportunity to interrupt the buying process
Consideration •Good time to provide guidance to those who are receptive to advice on responsible puppy buying and are likely to seek out a responsible breeder (enthusiasts)
Purchase •Opportunity to provide support and advice post purchase to reduce the number of dogs that end up in animal centres
Purchase maintenance •Opportunity to provide support and advice post purchase to reduce the number of dogs that end up in animal centres
But…
Casuals
Enthusiasts
RSPCA’s opportunity to interrupt buying
behaviour
Key finding
+
=
Strong correlation between ‘pedigree’ and perceived quality of a dog
Serious health and welfare problems associated with the way that dogs are bred for their looks
Opportunity to create a disturbance around the issue
Won’t be achieved overnight – need a long-term view
Initially draws on campaign supporters and dog lovers (fanatics/enthusiasts) to champion the cause (awareness raising) and to…
…stigmatise bad puppy buying behaviour (behaviour change)
Bred for Looks, Born to Suffer campaign
Working with the enemy to deliver change
Enemy RSPCA
Support from celebs who resonate with
target audience
Challenge misconception that pedigree = quality
Support for new puppy
owners
Collaborative working with
classified websites
Summary
Step off the soap box and into the shoes of your audience
Remember that not everyone thinks or acts the same way as you – rather than saying “Why don’t people get it?”, ask yourself “Why am I not understanding things from their point of view?”
People are unpredictable in their behaviour – common sense does not prevail
Understand their language – it may be about animal welfare (or whatever) to you, but about handbags, fashion and looking good to them.
Recognise that external forces may be stronger than you – work with rather than against ‘the enemy’.
Be patient – behaviour change takes time, blood, sweat and lots of tears.
