Digital Communications Conference

Cyberpressure: bringing activism into the mainstream

Justine Pannett, Senior Campaigns Manager

Mel Andrews, Digital Communications Manager

Cyberpressure: bringing activism into the mainstream

Justine Pannett, Senior Campaigns Manager

Mel Andrews, Digital Communications Manager

1. Challenges and opportunities

Challenges

Opportunities

2. Understanding our supporters

Negative ‘campaigner’ association“Act i vi st ”

“An t i -Es t ab l i s h

me n t ”“ Extr em

is t”

“I n y o u r fac e”

“C onf r onta tiona l”

“Angry”

“ I n tim id atin g”“S wampy ”

“They're quite ‘extreme’ and

I don't think that that's the

way to get people on side. It

can always be a bit

intimidating if you can't

relate to what somebody's

talking about.”

“[Campaigners] are giving

animal rights a really bad name

when there are so many of us

out there who just want to be

polite and yet get the message

through”

All of the people we spoke to said they would define

themselves as supporters rather than campaigners

Find actions for the mainstream

Different levels of effort

Send an email to

their MP

Sign a petition or

pledge

Follow campaign

on twitter

Read a news post

Forward

campaign e-mails

Comment on

Facebook post

Change Facebook

status

Personalise e-mail to

MP

Share a link on

social media

Low Medium High

Get involved in

the solution

Segment campaigners according to what they

are willing to do

Sign petition

Follow campaign on twitter

initiators

connectors

followers

Forward campaign e-mails

Comment on Facebook post

Change Facebook status

Blog

Write a news article

Get involved in the solution

Target key contacts on Twitter

Send an email to their MP

Leve

l of in

vo

lve

me

nt in

a ca

mp

aig

n

Insert Anne elephant

photo

3. The Big Stop Case Study

Case Study: The Big Stop

May 2011April 2011 June 2011 July 2011

Anne Elephant

video published

29 March

Email

Cameron

Email MP

Tweet MP

Low

RS

PC

A A

ctio

ns

H

igh

MP

debate

called

Govt ignore

public and MPs

vote

MPs vote

for ban

23 June

Support The

Independent

petition

Huge

public

support

Anne

Elephant

Released

Cameron won’t

support ban

Be prepared to react to changing

circumstances

Anne

Elephant

news story

breaks

MP debate in

Parliament

Monitor and understand trends

All mentions of

‘circus AND ban’

(via Heartbeat social media

monitoring)

Date Range: 25 March to 16 September

MP

debate

23rd JuneGovt

announce

licensing

Scheme

All mentions of

RSPCA and circus

(via Heartbeat social media

monitoring)

Date Range: 25 March to 16 September

Monitor and understand trends

4. Delivering accessible digital actions

http://www.flickr.com/photos/uk_parliament/2700549765/sizes/m/in/photostream/

Email learnings:Two email MP actions:

• Too close together

• Email & landing page

looked too similar.

Ask MP to Urge Cameron

to banAsk MP to attend debate

http://tweetminster.co.uk/

Tom Blenkinsop (Labour)

@TomBlenkinsop - Saltburn-by-the-sea

“I'll try and get there.but I'll definitely be voting on circus

animals debate & supporting rob flello in the lobbies”

Nic Dakin (Labour)

@NicDakinMP - Scunthorpe, UK

“absolutely against wild animals in circuses.”

Key learnings:• RSPCA and ‘Connectors’ could

hold conversation with MPs

• MP responses were public - more

accountable

• Easy for all to see momentum

building

• Quick turn around only 4 days to

influence MPs

John Leech (Lib Dem)

@johnleechmcr - Manchester

“I have rearranged my meetings in the constituency and

will be there to vote and hopefully speak.”

#circusban

Twitter learnings:

•Able to collaborate informally

between all orgs to create

groundswell of support – avoids

delays of more formal

collaborations

5. Key learnings

Key learnings:

Huge recognition to all the other

organisations also campaigning for a

ban on wild animals in circuses

including:

ADI, Animal Aid, Born Free, BVA,

CAPS, Care for the wild, Four Paws,

WSPA