New media for organizational advocacy Audubon Dougherty Media in Cultural Context MIT Center for Future Civic Media Fall 2008 Case study on the United States Campaign for Burma

What USCB does OBJECTIVES: To strengthen the position of the rightful leaders of Burma by cutting the political and economic lifelines of the ruling military junta; To organize and advocate for international intervention in Burma; To inform grassroots citizens, international media and policymakers about Burma’s political, social and economic crisis. The mission of USCB is to build a broad based coalition of grassroots and institutional support for freedom in Burma.

OBJECTIVES:

To strengthen the position of the rightful leaders of Burma by cutting the political and economic lifelines of the ruling military junta;

To organize and advocate for international intervention in Burma;

To inform grassroots citizens, international media and policymakers about Burma’s political, social and economic crisis.

Outreach activities USCB Campaigns Coordinator responsible for all outreach & organizing update content on website (redesigned in 2007) create e-newsletters, online petitions, listservs manage social networking sites (6+) produce web videos for USCB site, YouTube channel, WITNESS Hub conference calls with activists face-to-face meetings with regional coordinators and student groups new initiatives: blog for lead activists; monthly webcast (Ustream)

USCB Campaigns Coordinator responsible for all outreach & organizing

update content on website (redesigned in 2007)

create e-newsletters, online petitions, listservs

manage social networking sites (6+)

produce web videos for USCB site, YouTube channel, WITNESS Hub

conference calls with activists

face-to-face meetings with regional coordinators and student groups

new initiatives: blog for lead activists; monthly webcast (Ustream)

Measuring success Effect of outreach measured by the number of: new members signing up + donations people contacting USCB responses to action alerts and online petitions new student groups created YouTube/Fanista video hits friends on social networking sites

Effect of outreach measured by the number of:

new members signing up + donations

people contacting USCB

responses to action alerts and online petitions

new student groups created

YouTube/Fanista video hits

friends on social networking sites

Who I talked to THELMA YOUNG Former campaigns coordinator for USCB NICKIE SEKERA Northeast regional coordinator and board member SAM GREGORY USCB board member & WITNESS program coordinator

What works Distributed content creation Leveraging Hollywood support & media coverage Building grassroots activists through on- and offline communication Utilizing social networks for spontaneous actions Using digital media to mobilize people to act Being realistic: understanding staff capacity

Distributed content creation

Leveraging Hollywood support & media coverage

Building grassroots activists through on- and offline communication

Utilizing social networks for spontaneous actions

Using digital media to mobilize people to act

Being realistic: understanding staff capacity

Challenges Managing content created Strategic marketing needed to promote media Organizing can’t only happen online Social networking sites serve particular purposes; fragmentation occurs Limitations depending on audience, action, messaging More staff is needed to continue outreach and organizing

Managing content created

Strategic marketing needed to promote media

Organizing can’t only happen online

Social networking sites serve particular purposes; fragmentation occurs

Limitations depending on audience, action, messaging

More staff is needed to continue outreach and organizing

(pros & cons) Distributed content creation Activists create & share their own photos, videos, t-shirt designs, other resources Message not controlled by organization Self-replicating Org picks & chooses what to use or promote

Distributed content creation

Activists create & share their own photos, videos, t-shirt designs, other resources

Message not controlled by organization

Self-replicating

Org picks & chooses what to use or promote

The (viral) video campaign 30 days for a million voices. Burma: it can’t wait. 30 videos in 30 days 38 celebrities funded by donor launched in May 2007 http://www.youtube.com/user/uscampaignforburma

30 videos in 30 days

38 celebrities

funded by donor

launched in May 2007

(pros & cons) Leveraging Hollywood support Fanista distribution/production partnership successful Cyclone Nargis hit simultaneously Many hits, but mixed reviews & lacked sufficient marketing Goal of PSAs: to get one million new members; got 30,000 (but still impressive, up from just a few hundred in 2005) Initial Jim Carrey video more popular because of media coverage

Leveraging Hollywood support

Fanista distribution/production partnership successful

Cyclone Nargis hit simultaneously

Many hits, but mixed reviews & lacked sufficient marketing

Goal of PSAs: to get one million new members; got 30,000 (but still impressive, up from just a few hundred in 2005)

Initial Jim Carrey video more popular because of media coverage

(pros & cons) Communication: online & off Sometimes simple tools work best (ex: Gchat) Face-to-face organizing essential Communication methods should depend on audience Haven’t tried coordinated mobile messaging yet

Communication: online & off

Sometimes simple tools work best (ex: Gchat)

Face-to-face organizing essential

Communication methods should depend on audience

Haven’t tried coordinated mobile messaging yet

(pros & cons) Social networks: Facebook, etc. P2P can be great for organizing quick actions Facebook not built to maintain long-term involvement Fragmentation of supporters impedes coordinated action but can inspire different conversations and ways to act Need someone to update social network sites frequently Does large number of “friends” mean large number of activists?

Social networks: Facebook, etc.

P2P can be great for organizing quick actions

Facebook not built to maintain long-term involvement

Fragmentation of supporters impedes coordinated action but can inspire different conversations and ways to act

Need someone to update social network sites frequently

Does large number of “friends” mean large number of activists?

(pros & cons) Digi media: can it mobilize people? Allows NGOs to reach new audiences more easily Not everyone is tech savvy; utilize those who are to organize others Can make the org look very active; but can staff respond when people do mobilize and want to act?

Digi media: can it mobilize people?

Allows NGOs to reach new audiences more easily

Not everyone is tech savvy; utilize those who are to organize others

Can make the org look very active; but can staff respond when people do mobilize and want to act?

(pros & cons) Being realistic about resources & staff capacity Be strategic about goals & what to prioritize; one person can’t do it all, esp. with tiny budget Don’t be afraid to nix what isn’t working (ex: web forum) New video initiative: need more staff/volunteers to implement

Being realistic about resources & staff capacity

Be strategic about goals & what to prioritize; one person can’t do it all, esp. with tiny budget

Don’t be afraid to nix what isn’t working (ex: web forum)

New video initiative: need more staff/volunteers to implement

Lessons Bottom-up organizing: org provides resources to guide content creation & inspire leadership; grabs key user content for targeted advocacy purposes Utilize “techie” activists in strategic ways Use online communication in tandem with face-to-face communication , and as a means to facilitate local action Social networks serve specific purposes: recognize their strengths for activism (spontaneous action, creating discussion) and exploit them Prioritize organizational goals , then allocate resources or make cutbacks Public relations strategy should be integrated into all org initiatives, on- and offline Stealing corporate, Hollywood or mainstream outreach strategies is OK! Do whatever inspires cause recognition, understanding & action.

Bottom-up organizing: org provides resources to guide content creation & inspire leadership; grabs key user content for targeted advocacy purposes

Utilize “techie” activists in strategic ways

Use online communication in tandem with face-to-face communication , and as a means to facilitate local action

Social networks serve specific purposes: recognize their strengths for activism (spontaneous action, creating discussion) and exploit them

Prioritize organizational goals , then allocate resources or make cutbacks

Public relations strategy should be integrated into all org initiatives, on- and offline

Stealing corporate, Hollywood or mainstream outreach strategies is OK! Do whatever inspires cause recognition, understanding & action.