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The Conservation Conversation: Successful Environmental Messaging
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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68
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25
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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.
90
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68
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39
8
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1
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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?
