The Conservation

Conversation: Successful Environmental Messaging

Amy and Erin

Department of Audience Research

• Marketing

• Zoology

• Biology

• Ethology

• Business Administration

• Research and Evaluation

• Science Communication

Saint Louis Zoo Community Perceptions

A place to learn about animals

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Wholesome, family entertainment

An educational or learning experience

A good value

A place to enjoy nature

A place to learn about animal conservation andendangered species

A clean, comfortable place to visit

A place that is safe and secure

A calm, relaxing place to visit

A natural, non-commercialized setting

Primarily for children

Something new each time I visit

Non-crowded, plenty of room for everyone

Primarily for adults

Very good description Good descriptionFair description Poor description

Please indicate to

what extent you

feel the phrases

describe the

Saint Louis Zoo.

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Manages and cares for their animals

Works to keep the Saint Louis Zoo aworld-class facility

Helps protect endangered species

Creates a more natural environmentfor the Zoo's animals

Showcases a variety of wildlife fromaround the world

Works to provide wholesome, familyentertainment

Educates people about wildlife andendangered species

Assists in worldwide animalconservation efforts

Makes sure there is always somethingnew and exciting at the Zoo

Very important (10) Somewhat important (8-9)

Not too important (4-7) Not at all important (1-3)

Importance of animal care and conservation

“How important do

you think it is that

the Saint Louis Zoo

__________?”

The Ocean Project, 2015

Zoo/Aquarium as an anchor for action

Behavior ChangeWhat works?

Behavior Change

Two general approaches:

1. Long-term

2. Short-term

Based on more than 30 studies of

significant life experiences,

childhood play in nature

and

role models of appreciation for

nature

are associated with…

A long-term approach

Environmental careers

Committed environmental activism

Non-activist environmental citizenship

Private sphere environmentalism

Choosing natural areas for recreation

Louise Chawla, University of Colorado

A long-term approach

A short-term approach

Target reasons why people do or do not

engage in environmentally-responsible

behaviors

Enhance benefits and

reduce barriers

Best strategies come from McKenzie-

Mohr’s (2011) Community-Based Social

Marketing (CBSM)

Image from cleanenergyresourceteams.org

Which behaviors?

Visitors favored behaviors that were

• novel,

• easy to do,

• occurred onsite, and that had

• clear connection to helping wildlife1

1 Smith, Curtis, & van Dijk (2010)

Which behaviors?

Visitors supported lobbying2

• Petitions: 96 elephants, Vultures (petitions)

• Rhinos, Thermostat Challenge, #byetobags

(pledges)

and wildlife-friendly consumerism2

• Seafood Watch guide 3,4

• Palm Oil app

2 Smith, Weiler, Smith, & van Dijk (2012)3 Kemmerly & Macfarlane (2009)4 Pearson et al. (2014)

Which behaviors?

Model offsite behaviors onsite1

Monterey Bay Aquarium found

that the most effective

conservation messages were

those that were:

• “specific,

• repeated,

• interactive, and

• tied to live animal displays”2

1 Smith (2014)2 Vernon et al. (2012)

Image from Smith (2014)

Lessons from Monterey Bay

Take a stand on issues and encourage visitors

to take action1

• Animal experiences are more memorable,

but people remember conservation

information, too1

Use a consistent voice in messaging2

• Seeing repeated messages increases

remembering a pro-environmental behavior3

1 Vernon et al. (2012)2 Ramberg et al. (2002)3 Yalowitz (2004)4 Kemmerly & Macfarlane (2009)

Image from montereybayaquarium.org

Conservation Messaging

Focus Groups

Objectives

Conservation

attitudes and actions

in participants’ lives

Inform and inspire

messaging

What messages

resonate?

Visitors' perceptions of the Zoo in the community

Understanding of Zoo's role in conservation work

Positives Negatives

This is an active stance.

“Extinction” suggests urgency.

Implicitly asks people to join in the

fight.

Implies that it is only a battle, the Zoo

is not winning the battle.

No sense of hope.

It is a common phrase, used by other

causes.

Sample Quotes “Extinction is a worldwide problem. The Zoo is helping to

combat it.”

“This is preserving animals where the numbers are

decreasing.”

“I’d rather not get to the fight.”

Saint Louis Zoo is fighting extinction.

Saint Louis Zoo is sustaining wildlife.

Positives Negatives

Implies action on a global

basis

Suggests only preserving the

status quo, not making

progress.

“Sustainability” is an overused

term.

Sample

Quotes

“Sustaining is a weak word. It implies not making

improvements.”

Saint Louis Zoo is saving endangered species.

Positives Negatives

Emphasis on the priority –

endangered species.

Saving suggests results.

Sense of urgency.

The list of endangered species is

always changing.

Does not suggest local activity.

Narrow focus – only on those

species which are endangered.

Sample

Quotes

“It says that they’re not going to worry about [animals]

until they are endangered.”

“This is urgent, definitive. It’s a fact.”

Saint Louis Zoo is saving wild things in wild places.

Positives Negatives

Sounds fun.

Wild places can be the backyard

or remote regions of the world.

“Wild place” could be the Zoo

itself.

It made you use your imagination.

Some thought a little too flippant.

Could be juvenile.

“Things” should be more specific –

animals.

Sample

Quotes

“It evokes your imagination.”

“A wild place could be anywhere – because wildlife, in my

imagination, goes everywhere.”

Saint Louis Zoo is finding ways for people

and animals to thrive together.

Positives Negatives

Finding new ways (innovation)

Suggests success

Co-existence is an important goal

Consistent with Animals Always

Used by other organizations

Sample

Quotes

“The Zoo is leading education on co-existence, educating

people on how to save the animals and the planet.”

“[The Zoo] is helping people and wildlife live more

comfortably together.”

Conclusions

People understand the word

conservation

Proud of Zoo and want to know

about accomplishments

Important to lead by example

• “If not you, than who?”

• “Only one with potential to reach the masses”

Current knowledge about activities varies widely

Connect messaging to people and animals together

Final Messages

The Language of

ConservationThe Nature Conservancy

Language of conservation; People

DO keep people in the picture.

DO stress the importance of protecting natural areas as a way

of helping children spend more time outdoors.

DO continue to use a “future generations” message.

DO use phrases that imply ownership and inclusion, such as “our”

and “we.”

DO keep people in the picture

DO stress the importance of protecting natural areas as a

way of helping children spend more time outdoors

DO continue to use a “future generations” message

DO use phrases that imply ownership and

inclusion, such as “our” and “we”

Language of conservation; Advocacy

DO speak to voters’ pride of place.

DO reinforce the compatibility between having a strong economy

and preserving land, water and wildlife.

DO turn voters’ views of a tough Mother Nature to your advantage –

by showing how conservation of critical natural defenses keeps

communities safe.

DO connect conservation to public health.

DO speak to voters’ pride of place

DO show how natural defenses protect communities

DO connect conservation to public health

DO reinforce the compatibility between having a strong

economy and preserving land, water and wildlife.

Language of conservation; Hope and Benefits

DO evoke a sense of “shared responsibility” – or, depending on the

audience, a “moral responsibility” – to care for the natural world.

DO maintain an essentially hopeful, optimistic tone.

DO talk about the “benefit of nature” or “nature’s benefits.”

DO highlight the benefits of nature for providing food and medicine.

DO evoke a sense of “shared responsibility”

DO maintain an essentially hopeful, optimistic tone

DO highlight the benefits of nature for providing food and

medicine

DO talk about the “benefit of nature” or “nature’s benefits”

DO use action-affirming asks and commands instead of “don’t” or

“stop.” Provide a solution instead of finger pointing.

DO use realistic, yet hopeful or action-affirming images or

messages instead of ecophobic or shocking ones.

Language of conservation; Positives

Turning a negative into a positive

Instead of “Stop”, how

could this message be

rephrased to give an

action?

Turning a negative into a positive

Instead of “Stop”, how

could this message be

rephrased to give an

action?

“Use Reusable Bags”

Examples of Ecophobic/shocking messaging

Connecting on Climate

Source: connectingonclimate.org

Make climate science meaningful

Connect to issues that matter to your audience

Use images and stories to make climate change real

Make behavior change easy / Emphasize solutions and

benefits

Approach skepticism carefully

Bring climate impacts close to home

Resources

Commercial Messaging

Exercise

Grading Rubric

Tied to

animals/

wildlife/

nature

Tied to

people/

shows

benefits

Image/

production

quality

Actionable

message/

barrier

removal

Optimistic/

hopeful

(not

ecophobic)

EXAMPLE 2 1 3 2 3

Use a scale from 1-3 to rate the

commercials

1 = Not Good

2 = Okay

3 = Great

Rate how each commercial does based on:

Ties to animals/nature/wildlife

Ties to people/shows the benefits of

animals/nature to people

Image and production quality (how well the

commercial was made)

Actionable message/barrier removal

Optimistic/hopeful (not ecophobic) messaging

Georgia Aquarium – Nice Suit

Peoria Zoo – Winter in Summer

Monterey Bay Aquarium - Plastics

We Are Fresno-Chaffee Zoo

San Diego Zoo – Makes Us Sing

Minnesota Zoo – Big Bugs

Saint Louis Zoo – Animals Always

Audubon Zoo – Our World

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo – One More Day

VR Technology

Valen’s Reef

http://with.in/watch/valens-reef/

Pass around Google Cardboard

headsets/headphones Have fun looking around!

Questions?