1. Do puppies have secret powers?
The importance of understanding irrational human behaviour and its impact on
campaign effectiveness.
Justine Pannett, Senior Campaigns Manager. RSPCA
@justine_RSPCA

2. Contents
• Why do we campaign?
• The changing landscape of influence
• The model for behaviour change
• Puppy power: audience insights case study
• Working with the enemy to deliver change
• Summary & questions

3. Why do we campaign?
• Definitions of campaigning…
The mobilising of forces by organisations or individuals to influence
others in order to effect an identified and desired social, economic,
environmental or political change.
NCVO
An organised course of actions to achieve a goal.
Oxford Dictionary

4. The changing landscape of influence

6. Our messages were not getting
through.
What people say they do, and what
they actually do are two different
things.
Needed a more long-term view to
affecting change.
Issues not aligned to any particular
socio-economic group, but to
attitude.

7. Responsible puppy buying campaign
Consumer polling
From where would you consider getting a puppy?
Answer: A pet shop
2008 –
2008 - pre
post 2009:
campaign:
campaign: 20%!!!
29%
11%

8. The model for behaviour change
Pre-
contemplation
Maintenance
/Purchase Contemplation
maintenance
Preparation/
Action/Purchase
Consideration

9. Recognising that not Taking a ‘bottom up’ Putting the audience
everyone thinks or not ‘top down’ at the heart of the
acts the way you do approach intervention
Recognising the Understanding of
barriers to change the context in which
and working with we’re working –
them where possible consumerism!!

10. How does this relate to puppies?

11. The problem
1 in 5 people who have bought a puppy in the
last three years no longer have their dog.
TNS, 2011

12. Drivers
Ease of
Celebrity buying
influence
Cute
puppies
Puppy buying craze!!

13. The result

14. Audience segmentation
Fanatics
Enthusiasts
Casual
Indifferent

15. ‘Casual’ audience
Triggered by a thought
or aspiration
Respond to the ‘awww’
factor
Lifestyle choice/emulate
an image of perfection

16. Hypotheses testing
People are influenced by
aesthetics due to nature
Positive ingrained images around
dogs as perfection and completion
cause us to make incorrect
purchases
People are now primarily
consumers and dogs are
consumable objects

17. Nature
‘Breed
Positive
messages as
brand’
Culture

18. Strong correlation
Decision to get a dog between ‘pedigree’
deeply ingrained or & ‘quality’
strong impulse decision
The ‘awww’
Puppies had a much factor is
bigger impact on overwhelming
people’s lives than (secret powers!!)
they imagined and
were left feeling
If the
guilty about ‘letting
breed/brand
the puppy down’
doesn’t
deliver, take it
back
People are concerned
Everyone thinks about how dogs are
they’re an expert on bred for looks, but do
dogs – they don’t not feel responsible
seek advice and for the problem
don’t want to be
told

19. • Opportunity to influence decision to get a dog very slim as deeply ingrained
Pre-
contemplation
• or…decision is made impulsively in response to a trigger, so limited opportunity to
Contemplation
interrupt the buying process
• Good time to provide guidance to those who are receptive to advice on responsible
Consideration
puppy buying and are likely to seek out a responsible breeder (enthusiasts)
• Opportunity to provide support and advice post purchase to reduce the number of
Purchase dogs that end up in animal centres
• Opportunity to provide support and advice post purchase to reduce the number of
Purchase dogs that end up in animal centres
maintenance

20. But…
RSPCA’s opportunity
to interrupt buying
behaviour
Enthusiasts
Casuals

21. Key finding
Strong correlation between ‘pedigree’ and perceived quality of a dog
+
Serious health and welfare problems associated with the way that dogs are
bred for their looks
=
Opportunity to create a disturbance around the issue

22. Won’t be achieved overnight – need a long-term
view
Initially draws on campaign supporters and dog
lovers (fanatics/enthusiasts) to champion the
cause (awareness raising) and to…
…stigmatisebad puppy buying behaviour
(behaviour change)

23. Bred for Looks,
Born to Suffer campaign

24. Working with the enemy to deliver
change
Enemy RSPCA

25. Support from
celebs who
resonate with
target
audience
Collaborative Challenge
working with misconception
classified that pedigree
websites = quality
Support for
new puppy
owners

26. Summary
Step off the soap box and into the shoes of your
audience
Remember that not everyone thinks or acts the
same way as you – rather than saying “Why don’t
people get it?”, ask yourself “Why am I not
understanding things from their point of view?”
People are unpredictable in their behaviour –
common sense does not prevail

27. Understand their language – it may be about
animal welfare (or whatever) to you, but about
handbags, fashion and looking good to them.
Recognise that external forces may be stronger
than you – work with rather than against ‘the
enemy’.
Be patient – behaviour change takes
time, blood, sweat and lots of tears.

28. Thank you
Questions?
Twitter: @justine_rspca
Email: jpannett@rspca.org.uk