Social Marketing Campaign Proposal: Wildaid Shark Conservation

COMM 3301

Shark Conservationand WildAid

A Social Marketing CampaignProposal

Priyanka Verma | 1008253458/15/2014

Shark Conservation and WildAid: A Social Marketing Campaign Proposal

BackgroundEvery year, tens of millions of sharks are being killed due

to a great demand for shark fin soup (“Shark Fin Soup Destroys”).

In Chinese culture, though it has no nutritional value, it is

considered a delicacy and is symbolic of a high social and

economic status.

Shark fin soup is often served at weddings and other special

occasions as a symbol of class and wealth. It is considered a

display of social status; for this reason there is a social

pressure to both serve and consume the soup. In traditional

Chinese weddings, it is customary for the groom’s side of the

family to pay to have shark fin soup served at the wedding to

show the guests that the bride is entering into a wealthy family

(“Shark Truth”, 2009).

This social acceptance and display of status, however, comes

at a very high cost. The high demand for shark fin is leading to

the overfishing and near extinction of sharks. Today, nearly 30%

of all shark species are threatened with extinction (Hoffmann &

Hilton-Taylor, 2010). Species predominant in the shark fin trade,

like the hammerhead and tiger sharks, have experience populations

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declines of an alarming 90-99% in areas where they were usually

plentiful (Ferretti et al, 2008). Moreover, the species of sharks

that are being harvested for their fins have a low reproductive

ability (“Shark Fin Soup Destroys”). Sharks mature slowly, don’t

reproduce very often and have few pups when they do, making it

difficult for them to sustain their population in the face of

relentless overfishing.

Sharks are often hunted through a cruel process called

“finning”. Finning refers to the process of capturing a shark,

slicing off the fins, and then throwing the remaining shark back

into the water. These atrocities are happening because the actual

shark meat is much less valuable and in much less demand than the

fin, so it is more economically efficient for the fisherman to

ship just the fins and discard the sharks’ bodies at sea. This

results in the shark being unable to pass water through its gills

and suffocating, dying of blood loss, or being weak and injured

and left to be preyed upon by other species (Global Shark

Conservation, 2011).

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A study conducted by the PR agency of “I’m FINished with

Fins” in Singapore indicated that a significant number of people

within Chinese communities are aware of ecological concerns

associated with shark fin soup and the shark fin trade and want

to stop their consumption. However, results also showed that

these people continued to eat and serve shark fin soup due to

social pressures (“I’m Finished with Fins”).

Campaign DescriptionThe purpose of this campaign is to change the audience’s

behaviors and attitudes towards the consumption of shark fin soup

as well as be informed on the negative ecological impact the soup

has on the shark population. A successful campaign will result in

a decline in the consumption of shark fin soup by an informed

public. This will greatly reduce the demand for shark fin from

fisherman in the shark fin trade. Sharks will no longer need to

be finned or fished at such outrageously high rates and their

population will have a chance to replenish itself.

The target audiences of this campaign are: people who are

consuming or serving shark fin soup, this audience is mainly

within the Chinese community. This campaign will strive to

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influence this target market to abandon their current behavior of

serving or eating shark fin soup as well as have new knowledge

regarding the detrimental effects of a high demand for this soup.

This knowledge will not only help them to change their own

behavior, but to change the behavior of those around them.

This campaign seeks to influence downstream audiences,

people within the Chinese community who are consuming and serving

shark fin soup at occasions; mid-stream audiences such as

caterers at banquet halls, restaurants, hotels and event planners

who are suggesting and designing menus for events; as well as

upstream audiences like those involved in the shark fin trade

industry. The upstream audiences have already taken action by

banning shark fin soup from government events, but they will be

influenced through changes in consumer patterns and the publics’

behaviors and attitudes towards shark fin soup. These changes

will affect their decisions regarding stocking and supporting

sales of shark fin as well as thinking about regulating the

fishing of sharks and banning finning.

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Currently, eating shark fin soup is a social issue within

the Chinese community – it is socially unacceptable to not serve

or consume shark fin soup at special occasions like weddings. The

audience, after a successful campaign, should be educated on the

impact of shark fin soup on the shark population. In addition to

this, they should be provided with alternative ideas on what they

can serve at their special occasion. They will be equipped with

their newly acquired knowledge if they should have to explain to

families, friends or clients why they cannot eat or serve shark

fin soup at a special event.

SWOT AnalysisThis section will address the organizational strengths and

weaknesses and environmental opportunities and threats that are

anticipated to have some impact on or relevance for subsequent

planning decisions (Lee & Kotler, 2011).

Strengths

WildAid currently broadcasts its “Say No to Shark Fin”

campaign through many media outlets in China. These ads can be

found on TV, in subways and train stations, at airports, and on

university campuses. WildAid’s latest campaign features its well-

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known celebrity endorsers including David Bekham and Jeremy Lin.

This successful campaign, in combination with government bans at

official events, has contributed to a reported 50% decrease in

China’s shark fin consumption (WildAid, Sharks). WildAid and the

“Say No to Shark Fin” campaign is widely known and recognized, so

audiences are already aware of the name and message of this

particular campaign.

It is clear that “Say No to Shark Fin” advertising through

various media outlets had made a major impact on people in China.

In 2013, surveys revealed that 85% of respondents in Beijing,

Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Chengdu said they stopped eating shark

fin soup in the last three years. Sixty-five percent of those

said awareness campaigns were a reason why they stopped (WildAid,

Sharks). Awareness campaigns and advertising by WildAid were

successful in meeting their goal of convincing people to stop

eating shark fin soup.

WildAid, in 2012, had several sources of direct revenue for

their programs, administrative costs and fundraisers. Of their

total direct revenues ($4,898,258), nearly 30% comprised of

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donations. Over 60% of their revenues that year were obtained

through grants and awards, and about 10% were raised through

events and other (WildAid, 2012 Annual Report). From the provided

information, it can be concluded that WildAid receives a lot of

financial support through donations, but more than this, it can

rely on grants and awards as a major source of revenue.

WildAid’s current allies and partners include celebrities

who have appeared in campaigns and advertisements, media outlets

like CNN and National Geographic who have donated airtime and

advertising space to WildAid for message delivery, and

governments such as the Chinese government, who banned shark fin

soup from state level banquets and functions (WildAid, Sharks).

Weaknesses

As a non-profit organization, it can be difficult for

WildAid to cover their expenses. As displayed in their 2012

Annual Report, WildAid relies heavily on donations, grants and

awards, and revenue generated through fundraising events. Since

these amounts cannot be predetermined, it is difficult to

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establish a budget for programs and campaigns and leaves WildLife

with a great dependence on funding from external sources.

Not only is WildLife dependent on corporations and

governments for funding, as well as individuals and companies for

donations, they are also reliant on media companies for donated

airtime and advertising space. WildLife has partnered with media

giants in the past such as CNN, National Geographic and The

Discovery Channel. However, other natural factors and forces

cannot be controlled, and if a natural disaster or other

important news were to make the headlines, these outlets would

not have the airtime or advertising space to donate to the “Say

No to Shark Fin” efforts.

Opportunities

Findings from a study conducted on Chinese communities in

Singapore showed that many people were aware of problems

associated with shark fin soup and wanted to stop their

consumption, but felt culturally and socially pressured to

continue. “Say No to Shark Fin” has influenced action at the

state level, but the results of this study show that there is an

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opportunity to influence cultural ideals that have been prominent

in Chinese communities for many years. Now that upstream

audiences have been reached, there remains an untapped market at

the downstream and mid-stream levels of society.

Many people are aware of the message presented by WildAid,

but cultural forces are preventing many from taking action.

Providing regular people as well as those in the event and food

service industry with alternatives to shark fin soup to offer

their family, friends or clients would be useful. In addition to

this, people may find it difficult to turn down the traditional

request of having shark fin soup served at their special event.

WildAid can provide its audience with valuable information

regarding the detrimental effects of shark fin soup, which they

can use to justify their decisions to others.

Furthermore, having collaborated with the Chinese government

to have shark fin soup banned from government events, they can

move towards trying to implement new laws and regulations that

restrict and eventually ban the fishing and finning of sharks.

Threats

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WildAid’s financial forecast is highly dependent on

corporations, governments and individuals. Approximately 90% of

their revenues are brought in through donations, grants and

awards. For this reason, economic and political forces pose a

threat to WildAid campaigns and efforts because they are not

fully within WildAid’s control; they are in the hands of the

external publics.

In addition to this, the external publics, alliances and

partners, give financial and in-kind donations to WildAid

depending on how much importance they place on it. WildAid will

be competing with other non-profit organizations for donations

from these corporations, but it is difficult for WildAid to gage

how much they will receive in proportion to other organizations.

In order to prevent and financial strain, WildAid can refer to

its financial statements and reports from previous years and use

these past performances as an indicator.

Creative BriefPurpose of communication and message: The purpose of this campaign

is to change the audience’s behaviors and attitudes towards the

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consumption of shark fin soup as well as be informed on the

negative ecological impact the soup has on the shark population.

Target Audience and Geographic Location: This campaign will target

communities in China, where the demand for shark fin soup is

still a problem. Particularly, it will focus on those people who

want to change their behaviors towards shark fin soup by not

consuming or serving it at events, but are reluctant to do so due

to cultural and social pressures. It will also focus on those

people who have traditional beliefs towards shark fin soup as a

status of wealth and high social class, and strive to change

these peoples’ attitudes towards shark fin soup by informing them

of the devastating effects it has on shark populations.

Communication Objectives: This campaign aims to educate the

audience on the detrimental effects on the shark population for

the production of shark fin soup, to believe that they can put an

end to this cruelty and possible extinction of many shark breeds,

and finally to take action by not consuming or serving shark fin

soup at events or occasions.

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Positioning Statement: This campaign will take an approach which

will evoke shock and horror on behalf of the audience, repelling

them shark fin soup and helping them to abandon the behavior.

Graphic images of shark carcasses and finned sharks can be used

in association with shark fin soup, this will give the soup a

very negative impression in the mind of the audience. However,

the main face of the campaign should be a majestic shark, to show

the audience what a beautiful animal the shark, evoking sympathy

towards it and guilt for eating or serving it.

Benefits to Promise: The core product of this campaign is the

satisfaction of helping protect sharks from endangerment and

extinction and putting an end to the cruel finning of sharks.

Support for the Promise: Individuals who take the pledge to not eat

shark fin can be places among other members of the “Say No to

Shark Fin” community, they can receive recognition by signing

their name on the petition. An additional benefit that companies

like restaurants, catering services and banquet halls can receive

is recognition from WildAid as a company that will not tolerate

the consumption of shark fins. They can get their name put on the

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website under a list of business that are shark fin free; this is

free publicity for them and makes them a major attraction to

people who are on board with the movement. It also gives them

the image of being an ethical, progressive, and environmental and

animal friendly company.

Style and Tone: The style and tone of the campaign will advocate

sharks as beautiful and majestic animals. Pictures of various

shark breeds in their natural habitats will mainly be used, so

that people will grow fond of these creatures and want to save

them. Graphic images of dead, bloodied sharks and finned sharks

will be used in association with shark fin soup, to inform people

of the atrocious process that takes place just to put a bowl of

shark fin soup on the table. Campaign messages will be urgent and

encouraging. People will understand the urgency of the problem,

that they can and need to take action right away, and that their

actions will make a difference.

Openings: The target audiences for this campaign are down and

mid-stream audiences; individuals and people involved in the food

and event industry. More specifically, this campaign seeks to

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target people who will be involved in large events such as

weddings and banquets, because this is where social pressure

exists for shark fin soup to be served and there are still

existing beliefs and values around shark fin soup at these

events. For these reasons, information packages can be provided

to restaurants, halls, catering companies and event planners so

that they, in collaboration with their clients, can make the

ethical decision to not serve shark fin soup at their event.

Budget: Resources will be required in order to reach the desired

behavior, knowledge and attitude changes in the audience. These

resources include capital as well as human resources. A careful

analysis of the campaign process and requirements has determined

an approximate budget, using an object-and-task method. The costs

have been identified in relation to the campaigns proposed

marketing mix as well as the evaluation and monitoring of the

process.

Product-related costs: Human resources will be needed in order to

implement this campaign. Indirect costs for staff time will be

incurred. However, a lot of work done for WildAid is undertaken

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by volunteers. People will be required to put up advertisements

in various venues, hand out information packages to businesses,

run events and fundraisers and conduct surveys and analyze

results for preliminary research.

Price-related costs: The WildAid campaign will provide recognition to

food and event businesses which choose to take the pledge and be

shark-fin-free. These businesses will be given a certificate

which they can post within their facility, as well as an official

WildAid ‘shark-fin-free facility’ sticker to put in their

business’ front window.

Place-related costs: The distribution of tangible goods, the

information packages and recognition items for businesses and for

individuals on request, makes it easy and convenient for people

and businesses to learn more about becoming shark fin free. The

distribution of these items will have mailing and delivery costs.

Mailing an information package, depending on the size and weight,

can cost between $5 and $20 to send (United States Postal

Service).

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Promotion-related costs: Information will be disseminated to the

general public through television advertisements and posters in

bus stops, airports, university campuses and shopping centers. As

stated in the WildAid 2012 Annual Report, “WildAid’s unique

programs turned $4.4M of donor support into $132M+ in donated

advertising.” This is, in combination with the success of the

last shark campaign, is a good indication that WildAid will once

again receive donated advertising. In 2012, WildAid received

exactly $132,577,260 of donated in-kind media.

WildAid has partnerships and support from media companies

like CNN, CBS, National Geographic, Animal Planet, MTV, and the

Discovery Channel (just to name a few). To place a 30 second ad

on CBS during prime time costs nearly $100,000 (Crupi, 2011).

Transit advertising; including advertisements in busses, bus

stops, subways, trains and airports; can range from $150 to

$14,500 per four week period (Blueline Media, 2014).

Evaluation-related costs: Shark populations and death will be examines

by marine biologists in order to determine and increase in

population and a decrease in fisherman related deaths. In

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addition to this, impact on individuals will be measure through

online pledges as well as qualitative interviews to determine

factors which lead people to or not to change their behavior.

Influence of the campaign on business will be measured by the

number of businesses that decided to officially reject the

consumption of shark fin soup as any part of their business.

Field interviewers will need to conduct the qualitative research

and data analysts and statisticians will be required to draw

conclusions from the data provided by the researchers as well as

the numbers gathered from the website.

Monitoring and EvaluationIn order to determine the effectiveness of this campaign and

have results to present to WildAid, the impact of this campaign

on audience will be monitored during the span of the campaign and

evaluated once the campaign is finished. The inputs, outputs,

outcomes, impact, and return on investment will all be measured

in order to track the progress of the campaign.

Inputs: The inputs of this campaign will all be taken account of;

this will be needed in order to calculate the return on

investment. This will include all resources used to develop,

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implement and evaluate the campaign. These invested resources

will include of capital, human resources (hours by employees and

volunteers), existing materials, distribution channels utilized,

and partner contributions (Lee & Kotler, 2011).

Outputs: The outputs of this campaign will be measured in order

to quantify the utilization of program inputs. The inputs will be

used to create and distribute materials and information through

various channels. This will include information brochures,

booklets, information packages for businesses, posters, web and

television advertisements, websites, social media efforts and

awareness events. The number of people or households (reach) and

number of times this audience is exposed to the outputs of the

campaign (frequency). This information will be useful in

predicting audience response. Media coverage, earned media, will

also be taken into account in order to determine how much the

coverage would have cost if it had been paid for (Lee & Kotler,

2011).

A combination of these output measures will help to determine and

estimation of how many people in total were exposed to the

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campaign message and how must it cost the campaign per impression

made. In addition to this, all major activities undertaken by the

campaign will be audited in order to determine if all planned

activities had been implemented and if any resources were

conserved or wasted by not implementing these originally planned

tasks.

Outcomes: Measurements of outcome will determine the audience’s

response to the campaign outputs. Changes in behavior will be

evaluated. This campaign aims to decrease the rate of consumption

of shark fin soup by individuals and to increase the number of

businesses (restaurants, catering companies, banquet halls) that

will not serve shark fin soup.

In addition to this, changes in knowledge will be a crucial

measure to this campaign because this campaign seeks to educate

people on the detrimental impact of the shark fin trade. An

anticipated increase of knowledge of facts and information

relating to shark populations, finning and the real cost of shark

fin soup will be measured throughout the campaign.

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Another indicator of a successful campaign will be a change in

beliefs by the public. This campaign seeks to normalize and

actually patronize the act of refusing to eat or serve shark fin

soup in order to lessen social and cultural pressures for those

who want to do it or are currently doing it.

This campaign also hopes to further impact upstream audiences,

like the Chinese government, to implement policies and

regulations that tighten rules around the shark fin trade and

enforcing stricter, harsher penalties for fishermen caught

finning sharks.

Impacts: The final impact and success of this campaign will be

measured through the following indicators: A decrease in the

number of shark fin trade related shark deaths, an increase in

shark population where the population had originally drastically

dropped (information related to shark populations and shark

deaths will be determined by marine biologists, either paid or

volunteers), a decrease in the demand for shark fin soup (more

individuals taking the pledge to not eat shark fin soup will

decrease the demand for shark fin. Additionally, tighter,

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stricter regulations surrounding shark fishing and penalties for

finning will increase the cost of shark fin, effectively

decreasing the demand for it)(HelpsMe Inc., 2011), an increase in

the number of businesses refusing to serve shark fin soup (who

will be registered on the campaign’s website as shark-fin-free),

an increase of the number of people who have taken the pledge to

not eat shark fin or have it served at their special event (these

people will also be tracked online when they sign the pledge on

the website).

Return on Investment: A successful campaign will achieve all of the

above goals while staying within the allocated budget and using

resources efficiently. The return on the investment will allow

for determination of exactly how efficient the use of resources

were, if the campaign can or should be repeated, if more or less

funding will be needed if repeated and if the resources were

properly allocated within the campaign. The return on investment

will allow WildAid to see approximately how much it cost for the

campaign to change one behavior and how much money was saved or

generated through these behavior changes.

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GovernmentalityAs with any social activism campaign, there should be

preparation and expectation for backlash, resistance and

negativity towards unwanted change. One issue that may be

apprehensively foreseen is the intrusion of this campaign in

century old traditions and culture. Shark fin soup first became a

delicacy when it was served on the Emporer’s table in the Ming

Dynasty in the 1400s.In the Chinese culture, shark fin soup

represents wealth and upholds traditional norms (Cheung & Chang,

2011). It has traditionally always been served at weddings; this

is two show the bride’s family that she is entering into a

wealthy household and also as a token of respect and appreciation

to the guests. This campaign by WildAid will educate people,

especially younger generations, about the negative ecological

impacts of shark fin soup and discourage them from eating it. It

will ultimately force people to decide between their culture and

its age old tradition, or the lives of the majestic sharks and

becoming a part of putting an end to the brutality against them.

This campaign may also encounter problems from an economic

standpoint. The campaign seeks to further influence upstream

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audiences like major political figures, hoping that new laws and

regulations will be enacted restricting the amount of sharks that

can be fished, and banning the finning of sharks. However, the

shark fin trade and shark fishing may be the main or even only

source of income for poor fishermen in China. When rules and

regulations tighten around their trade, their product will be

difficult to obtain and sell, putting them in a dire financial

situation. Rallies and protests against bans and regulations may

be expected; this may lead to a negative brand image for the

WildAid campaign.

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Bibliography

Charitable Trusts. Global Shark Conservation, 25 Jan. 2011. Web.

Cheung, Gordon and Chang, Chak Yan. "Cultural identities of

Chinese business: networks of the shark-fin business in Hong

Kong." Asia Pacific Business Review, Jul2011, Vol. 17 Issue 3,

p343-359

Crupi, Anthony. "In Their Prime: Broadcast Spot Costs Soar."

AdWeek.” 22 June 2011. Web.

"Determining Demand and Calculating Costs." HelpsMe.com Helping Your

Buisness Grow. HelpsMe Inc., 2011. Web.

Hoffmann, M., C. Hilton-Taylor, et al. 2010. The impact of

conservation of the status of the world's vertebrates. Science,

330: 1503-1509.

Lee, N., Kotler, P. (2011). Social Marketing: Influencing Behaviors for

Good. Sage. Thousand Oaks, CA.

"I'm FINished with Fins." Shark Savers. WildAid. Web.

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Musick et al. 2009; Boero and Carli 1979; Baum et al. 2003; NMFS

Stock Assessment

"Postage Price Calculator." United States Postal Service.Web.

"Shark Truth." History of Shark Fin Soup –. Shark Truth, Web. “Shark

Declines – SFT Species”, Ferretti et al. 2008; Myers et al. 2007;

Baum and Myers 2004; Bonfil et al. 2009; U.S. Pelagic Longline

logbook data;

"The True Cost of a Cup of Soup: Shark Populations on the Brink -

Pew Environment Group." The Pew

"Transit Advertising in 250 Cities - Transit Ads Agency."

Blueline Media, Web.

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Social Marketing Campaign Proposal: Wildaid Shark Conservation

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