Michaela Butorova, fundraising officer, Save the Rhino International Visit the CharityComms website to view slides from past events, see what events we have coming up and to check out what else we do: www.charitycomms.org.uk

1. A presentation by Michaela Butorova, Fundraising Officer,
Save the Rhino International
Using behavioural science to save the rhino
Connecting conservation and communities
www.savetherhino.org

5. What emotions do these images
evoke in you?
How do you perceive rhinos after seeing
this clip?
Inspiring, beautiful, magnificent, cute...
However…

6. More than 8,000 rhinos killed for their horn
in the last decade

7. Rhino horn consumers don’t see wildlife in
the same way as we do

8. Consumers see an advert for a product
they want to buy

9. Beautiful and magnificent creatures
or
a product to cure hangover and
a status symbol?

10. Don’t assume that your target audience
shares the same views, values and beliefs
Research & understand your audience first;
their set of beliefs, values and motivations
can be radically different from your own

11. How have different campaigns aimed to
reduce consumer demand for rhino horn?
Let’s explore their key messages and
target audiences…

12. Humane Society International
A baseline survey was conducted in 2013.
Research results showed:
– Only 4.2% use rhino horn
– Consumers both men and women across all socio-
economic backgrounds
– 51% believe rhino horn can treat serious health
conditions
– One third said they didn’t care if rhinos went extinct
Source: http://www.hsi.org/assets/pdfs/vn_rhino_horn_campaign_2016.pdf

13. How did this research inform the
campaign messages?
Target audience:
• Population as a whole (school children, women,
universities and businesses)
Key messages:
• Rhino horn is not a medicine
–Rhino horn is made of the same substance as finger nails
and hair
–No scientific evidence of medicinal properties
–Buying rhino horn is a waste of money
• Rhino horn can contain poison and harm users

14. Campaign results after 3 years?
The campaign is estimated to have reached 33.8 million
people in Viet Nam
Significant drop in the nationwide percentage of respondents
that bought or used rhino horn: a drop of 45%, from 4.2% in
2013 to 2.3% in 2016
Has this campaign really reduced the demand for rhino horn
in Vietnam?
–Target audience
–Campaign messaging – does it really speak to the
consumer?

15. WildAid
– WildAid Vietnam work in partnership with CHANGE and African
Wildlife Foundation
– WildAid have run a range of campaigns often using popular celebrities
to publicise their messages

16. Wilderness Foundation
– Work in partnership with Investec Rhino Lifeline and Peace Parks
Foundation
– 2 Vietnamese pop stars (Thu Minh and Thanh Bui) visited South
Africa so that they can help spread the message Vietnam

17. Raising awareness & education
How are these campaigns aiming to reduce demand for
rhino horn?
• Raising awareness of the plight of the rhino in Africa and
the species going extinct
• Educating general public that rhino horn does not have any
medicinal properties

18. Why isn’t raising awareness enough to
save the species?
Thinking back at the difference between how we
perceive rhinos, and how the consumers perceive
rhinos and other wildlife…
…how would consumers understand the messages
of these campaigns?

19. What’s written vs. what’s heard by the
consumer
Number of rhinos in the world There is a product
Number of rhinos poached It is easy to get rhino horn
Price of rhino horn – it’s worth
more than gold on the illegal
market
There is money in it. A LOT
of money
Millions of users There is a significant market
Rhino going extinct Invest at any cost!

21. So how can we use insights from
behavioural science to design effective
campaigns?

22. The Chi campaign
– Behaviour change campaign in
Vietnam
– Developed by TRAFFIC
International and supported with
funding from Save the Rhino
International and other
campaign partners and donors
– Aims to reduce the demand for
rhino horn in Vietnam by 25%
through an evidence based
behaviour change campaign

23. 5-step behavioural change model
1. Behaviour identification
2. Audience segmentation
3. Behaviour modelling
4. Marketing framework
5. Initiative implementation
Campaign information, methodology, design, and
results here -
http://www.trafficj.org/publication/17_Briefing_CHI-
World_Rhino_Day.PDF
Credit:TRAFFIC International

24. 1. Identifying behaviour to be changed
2. Segment audience

25. Three consumer groups
–Mr L – successful businessmen, status symbol
–Intenders – intend to use rhino horn
–Older women – traditional medicinal value

26. Mr L: Typical User of Rhino Horn

27. 3. Identifying approaches to change
behaviour, using insights from step 1 & 2
4. Develop marketing framework and
identify the best messaging channels

28. A common Vietnamese
concept that a person’s
internal ‘will’ is a source of
strength, success and power.
Chi logo

29. It is important that messages are delivered from trusted
sources and influential people, people Mr L would look up to:
– Successful Vietnamese businessmen
– Umbrella business groups
– Medical professionals
– Champions within the Vietnamese Government officials
– Media
Influencers

30. 5. Campaign implementation and M&E

31. Results of the Chi campaign?
– A significant sustained decline in self-reported rhino horn
use was found between 2014, 2016 and 2017 surveys,
from 27.5% to 6% and 7% respectively
– Despite the ongoing trade of rhino horn, the Chi initiative
is having a promising impact on Mr. L, one of the prolific
rhino horn consumer groups. Chi is reaching, has
resonance and Mr. L is engaging on a behaviour change
journey

32. Messages to take away
–Awareness raising vs. Behaviour change
–Research & understand your target audience
–Design your campaign messages to engage and
resonate with your target audience
–Measure, evaluate and adapt

34. Psychology of
communications
- tools from the Behavioural Sciences
28 June 2018
London
#CCPsychComms

35. Visit the CharityComms
website to view slides from
past events, see what events
we have coming up and to
check out what else we do:
www.charitycomms.org.uk