Oxfam International’se-campaigning model
Symposium on E-democracy: new opportunitiesfor enhancing civic participation
Council of Europe - Strasbourg - April 24, 2007Presentation by Thomas Noirfalisse
• Confederation of 13 organizations• 3,000 partners• Up to 100 countries • to find lasting solutions to poverty, suffering and injustice.
• Long-term development• Emergency and humanitarian work• Research • Campaigning
Oxfam International
Oxfam’s vision of campaigning
We strive to be
A global campaigning force promoting the awareness and motivation that comes with global citizenship
We seek
To shift public opinion in order to make equity the same priority as economic growth.
3 main areas of campaigning:
- Trade and economic justice > Make Trade Fair
- Arms control > Control Arms
- Health and education > GCAP, GCE, …
Oxfam’s campaigning model
For Oxfam, e-campaigning is about:
• Engaging with people and encouraging people to engage with each other
• Inspiring a new generation of people to have hope for their country and world
• Channelling the power of public opinion into high value opportunities to advance a progressive agenda
Make Trade Fair e-campaigning model
• Launched in August 2002• a prime channel for the campaign• 1,9 million unique visitors in 2005• 6 languages• Big Noise petition = 20 millions sign ups (6% online)• High level of duplicated content on affiliate website • half and half model (not a global action center, not a portal)
The Make Trade Fair website
Factors of success
• Global messaging• Local resonance (culturally adapted, multilingual, …)• Choice of targets• Clear, immediate goals for e-actions• Segmentation• Look and feel• Celebrities• Interconnection between all campaigning dimensions (from top line
messages to in-depth research)
Impact of e-actions – Key learnings
• Varies from target to target
KRAFT FOOD - “The people sending us emails are unlikely to be customers anyway and so we paid little heed to the messages.”
NESTLE - “We take the issue very seriously and endeavour to answer every message manually.”
NOVARTIS - Open-letter exchange (through media and websites) + replied to all e-supporters
STARBUCKS - Responds To Oxfam YouTube Video With Their Own (1 Jan 2007)
BRITISH GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS - “Mass email campaigns are a complete waste of time. Postcards are impactful if very high in number. Personal letters from constituents are most effective.”
US TREASURY - “Do you vote in the USA?”
► If you are not a member of the target's constituency (whether commercial or political) an e-action appealing for a change in behaviour will apply little or no pressure.
– Persuasive analysis and reporting: practitioners are not doing analysis and reporting that persuades senior management and trustees of the importance and potential of e-campaigning activities. It perpetuates the cycle of under-investment and under-achievement.
– Poorly planned promotion and new supporters acquisition energy goes into launch rather than promotion.
– Lack of unified approach.– Without creative e-actions, the action fails to attract participants– Participation – THE campaigning organisations' single
biggest mental obstacle (from Web 1.0 to Web 2.0)– Segmentation, communication is less relevant to everyone– The perception that e-campaigning operates independently
of other forms of campaigning like media, local groups, face-to-face advocacy and direct mail actions.
– Organisational Issues (planning process, deadlines, budget)
The gaps of e-campaigning
• Impact / influence research (still a lot needs to be done) • Deepening engagement (harder to acquire and retain supporters) • Glocalized messages• Participation• Segmenting the audience• Coordinated actions using a range of simultaneous approaches
The gaps of e-campaigning
