Education is not enough: using a community-based social marketing approach to change behaviours and benefit the planet

Convenors: Dr Lesley Dickie (EAZA), Dr Debborah Luke (AZA)

There is little evidence that information intensive campaigns or isolated education programmes lead to changes in behaviour.  In addition even if positive attitudes in relation to pro-environmental behaviours have been stimulated, this attitude change on its own should not be relied upon to lead to automatic behaviour change.  This workshop will look at using the discipline of community-based social marketing (CBSM) approaches in conjunction with more traditional forms of information to lead to real and lasting behaviour change in conservation behaviours.  Taking the example from the EAZA and AZA Pole to Pole initiative it will introduce the ideas and thinking behind CBSM, how it applies to the Pole to Pole campaign and thereafter to other conservation activities.  The workshop will switch between introduction of the steps and asking delegates to apply the steps to a change in behaviour they want to stimulate.  At the end of the workshop the delegates will have the beginnings of a protocol to develop a more in-depth CBSM project for their conservation action of choice. This workshop will also look at the thinking behind ‘Common Cause’ messages and the findings of that research. CBSM has been pioneered by the Canadian social scientist Dr Doug McKenzie-Mohr and more information can be found on his Fostering Sustainable Behaviour website (http://www.cbsm.com/public/world.lasso)

Briefing Material:

• CC mindmap (.xls)

Back to 2013 Briefing Book.