Does e-campaigning work? Oxfam International - T. Noirfalisse

Oxfam Internationale-campaigning model

Forum for the Future of DemocracyCouncil of Europe - Madrid - October 16, 2008

Presentation by Thomas Noirfalisse

• 13 organizations• 3,000 partners• over 8000 employees• Up to 100 countries

Oxfam International

We believe we can end poverty and injustice,as part of a global movement for change.

Development programs - Emergency and humanitarian work - Campaigns

Research

Advocacy

Media

e-Campaigning

PopularMobilization

Field, grassroot, development work

Oxfam’s campaigning model

Oxfam’s vision of campaigning

A global campaigning force promoting global citizenship

Why?

To shift public opinionin order to make equitythe same priorityas economic growth.

Essential Services Rights in Crisis Economic Justice

Areas of campaigning

Research

Advocacy

Media

e-Campaigning

PopularMobilization

Field, grassroot, development work

Oxfam’s campaigning model

e-campaigning is about…

• Raising awareness about issues

• 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 to advance a progressive agenda

Does e-campaigning work?

NO

BRITISH GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS “Mass email campaigns are a complete waste of time.”US DEPT. of the TREASURY : “Do you vote in the USA?”KRAFT FOOD - “The people sending us emails are unlikely to be customers anyway.”

Does e-campaigning work?

• NOVARTIS - A Win for Generic Drugs: Indian Court Rules Against Drug Maker• STARBUCKS & ETHIOPIA - licensing agreement gave Ethiopians control over their specialty coffee brands. • NESTLE - took the issue very seriously and answered every message personnally

YES

So What?

Varies from target to target

… but always creates a SPACE

If you are not a member of the target's constituency, an e-action appealing for a change in behavior will apply little or no pressure.

But in any case, ONE Key learning

Factors of Success

• Global messaging

• Local resonance

• Choice of targets

• Clear & immediate goals

• Segmentation

• Look and feel

• Celebrities

• Multi-channel

• Human Voice

The gaps of e-campaigning

• Weak power analysis • Weak reporting• Poorly planned promotion • Weak segmentation

Communication is less relevant to everyone

• Organisational Issues Planning process, deadlines, budget

• One shot (no relationship)• Broken promises (we’ll email

you the results)

Multi-channel tactic

Inmyname.com Youtube Twitter

Facebook Tumblr Flickr

Politics 2.0

The web is a haven of messy democracy…

…but its ideals of transparency, participation &

openness hasn’t yet infiltrated the parliamentary democracy

Politics 2.0

Challenges

• Listen to your audience’s concerns• Be conversational, not unilateral• Talk to human beings, not demographic sectors• Speak with a human voice• Write for the Web (you’ve got 6 seconds to be read)

Networked conversations= new forms of social organization= knowledge exchange= smarter & more organized citizens

Participation in a network changes people fundamentally.

“Confusion is a word we have inventedfor an order which is not understood.”

Henry Miller (1891 - 1980)

To traditional, well established institutions, networked conversations may appear confused…

Question Time