Justine Pannett and Melanie Andrews, RSPCA www.charitycomms.org.uk/events

1. Digital Communications Conference
Cyberpressure: bringing activism into the mainstream
Justine Pannett, Senior Campaigns Manager
Mel Andrews, Digital Communications Manager

2. Cyberpressure: bringing activism into the mainstream
Justine Pannett, Senior Campaigns Manager
Mel Andrews, Digital Communications Manager

4. 1. Challenges and opportunities

5. Challenges

6. Opportunities

7. 2. Understanding our supporters

8. Negative ‘campaigner’ association
“Act i vi st ” “I n y o u r fac e”
ona l”
“C onf r onta ti “
I n tim id atin g”
“S wampy ”
“Angry”
“ Extr em is t
” s h me n t ”
“An t i -E s t ab l i
All of the people we spoke to said they would define
themselves as supporters rather than campaigners
“They're quite ‘extreme’ and
“[Campaigners] are giving I don't think that that's the
animal rights a really bad name way to get people on side. It
when there are so many of us can always be a bit
out there who just want to be intimidating if you can't
polite and yet get the message relate to what somebody's
through” talking about.”

9. Find actions for the mainstream

10. Different levels of effort
Low Medium High
Send an email to Forward
their MP campaign e-mails
Sign a petition or Share a link on
pledge social media
Comment on
Read a news post Facebook post
Follow campaign Change Facebook Get involved in
on twitter status the solution
Personalise e-mail to
MP

11. Segment campaigners according to what they
are willing to do
Blog
Write a news article
Level of involvement in a campaign
Get involved in the solution
initiators Target key contacts on Twitter
Forward campaign e-mails
Comment on Facebook post
connectors
Change Facebook status
Sign petition
Follow campaign on twitter
followers Send an email to their MP

12. Insert Anne elephant
photo
3. The Big Stop Case Study

13. Case Study: The Big Stop
Anne Huge MP MPs vote
High
Elephant public debate for ban
Released support called 23 June
RSPCA Actions
Support The
Email Email MP
Independent
Cameron Tweet MP
petition
Anne Elephant Govt ignore
Cameron won’t
video published public and MPs
Low
support ban
29 March vote
April 2011 May 2011 June 2011 July 2011

14. Be prepared to react to changing
circumstances
Anne
Elephant MP debate in
news story Parliament
breaks

15. Monitor and understand trends
Date Range: 25 March to 16 September
All mentions of
MP ‘circus AND ban’
debate
23rd June
Govt (via Heartbeat social media
announce monitoring)
licensing
Scheme

16. Monitor and understand trends
Date Range: 25 March to 16 September
All mentions of
RSPCA and circus
(via Heartbeat social media
monitoring)

17. 4. Delivering accessible digital actions

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

19. Email learnings:
Two email MP actions:
• Too close together
• Email & landing page
looked too similar.
Ask MP to Urge Cameron
Ask MP to attend debate
to ban

20. http://tweetminster.co.uk/
Tom Blenkinsop (Labour)
@TomBlenkinsop - Saltburn-by-the-sea
Key learnings: “I'll try and get there.but I'll definitely be voting on circus
animals debate & supporting rob flello in the lobbies”
• RSPCA and ‘Connectors’ could
hold conversation with MPs
Nic Dakin (Labour)
• MP responses were public - more @NicDakinMP - Scunthorpe, UK
accountable “absolutely against wild animals in circuses.”
• Easy for all to see momentum
building John Leech (Lib Dem)
• Quick turn around only 4 days to @johnleechmcr - Manchester
“I have rearranged my meetings in the constituency and
influence MPs will be there to vote and hopefully speak.”

21. #circusban
Twitter learnings:
•Able to collaborate informally
between all orgs to create
groundswell of support – avoids
delays of more formal
collaborations

22. 5. Key learnings

23. Key learnings:

24. 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