PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS OF POVERTYQUALITATIVE RESEARCH FINDINGS: WAVE 3Prepared for: Comic ReliefPrepared by: Alice Fenyoe, Mary Battley: SynovateJob number: 06-0047Date: February 2006

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PRESENTATION STRUCTUREBackground and objectivesResearch approach and sampleDefining the sampleA review of 2005 (and MPHs position within it)Campaigning and the general publicComic Relief and Red Nose DayThe trade issueThe corruption issueA note on the role of government Conclusions

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BACKGROUNDPublic Perceptions of Poverty (PPP) is a research programme designed to evaluate the progress of MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY in terms of both the brand itself and its objectives

PPP designed to run over three years, and utilises a multi-faceted research approach including qualitative research, desk research, and an omnibus tracking survey

This debrief deals with Wave 3 of the qualitative researchWave 1 conducted in February 05Wave 2 conducted in October 05

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RESEARCH OBJECTIVES: WAVE 3Exploring

Final reflections on 2005 Further actions people are likely to take and why (or why not) Views on Comic Relief/Red Nose Day and longerterm campaigning Messaging on corruption and trade And building on understanding gained from earlier qualitative andquantitative research

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RESEARCH APPROACH AND SAMPLEMen and women aged 16-50All concerned about poverty in poor countries, and aware of MPH

3 groups with MPH involved (mix of wristband, text, email)3 groups with RND involved (mix of watched the show and donated, bought a red nose, organised or took part in a fund-raising event)

2 groups aged 16-242 groups aged 25-342 groups aged 35-506 x 2 hour group discussions conducted in January 2006 in Borehamwood (London), Manchester, CoventryGroups moderated by Alice Fenyoe and Mary Battley of Synovate

DEFINING THE SAMPLE

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SEGMENTING THE AUDIENCE: RESPONDENT TYPES IDENTIFIED IN WAVE 1Attitudes towards povertyGlobal poverty features highly on their political radarAnother part of the political animal self identityHigh knowledge of intricacies of trade, debt, and aid Knowledge and the passion with which it is expressed can be a status symbolCan patronise or denigrate people who are not as interested, not as knowledgeableActive EngagedAttitudes towards povertyTend to have room for one or two issues that they are really interested in Have read about, and are aware of poverty in the third world some more interested than others Know that they have knowledge gaps, and always mean to find out moreOften dont realise how interested and aware they are until they start talking about it Passive EngagedAttitudes towards povertyVery cynical about poverty issues likely to espouse theory that the problem will never be solvedFeel very resigned about being able to do anything personallyToo busy to be able to learn, find out more got lots of other things to worry about (like supporting their families)Dont believe that govts will be able to sort out problem enjoy seeing them as fairly futileOpinionated about poverty as an issue and will confidently express opinions, and find it difficult to back down even when challengedMore interested in the scare stories than the facts Active DisengagedAttitudes towards povertyAware that there is lots of poverty in Africa but knowledge stops hereNo interest in talking about it, interest tends to stop at local issues, or issues with personal relevance to themBelieve that this is an issue that other people are worrying about no need for them to get involvedPassive DisengagedBehaviourTalk with passion lots of gesticulatingExpress their feelings physically via campaigning marching, rallying, emailing, letters, Aware of most campaigning tactics and how they workUnlikely to be a make or break issue in terms of voting these are probably not floating voters, but committed to either a particular party, or spoiling the ballot paperThese tend to be existing activists

BehaviourLikely to be supporting an international charityBy now, may have done MPH campaigning (and likely to be proud of it)For many this will be the first campaigning they have done (beyond easy actions like Fair Trade, organic)May have considered this issue when deciding who to vote for likely to be floating votersThese tend to be younger, professional

BehaviourSome will be supporting international charities as part of collection of regular support and effort will end thereOthers wont support beyond RNDIssue of poverty less likely to be a driver to real support than just having a portfolio that covers key issues (i.e. third world tick, cancer tick etc)Will not have been consideration when deciding how to voteThese tend to be family dads

BehaviourUnlikely to be supporting international charities beyond RNDWill not have been a consideration when deciding how/whether to voteThese tend to be family mums

In Wave 3 all segment types except for the Active Engaged identified

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SEGMENTING THE AUDIENCE: RESPONDENT TYPES IDENTIFIED IN WAVE 3Wave 2 identified anecdotal evidence that the Passive Disengaged had gained knowledge and interest in global poverty since Feb05.

However, in this wave of research, they appear to be reverting to type both knowledge of, and interest in the issue is reducing as there is less feeding it.

Some (very) latent interest is available to be tapped, but indications are that this will not be the case for much longer.

Passive Engageds present a more positive story in that, although not actually active in terms of behaviour, persuading them to take action may not be too difficult to achieve.PASSIVE ENGAGEDPASSIVE DISENGAGED(Oct05)(Jan06)(ACTIVE)

A REVIEW OF 2005, AND MPHS POSITION WITHIN IT

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KEY EVENTS OF 2005The Tsunami (the aftermath)Pakistan earthquakeLondon bombingsEngland win the AshesLocal or personal stories (i.e. West Ham to premiership)Continuation of Iraq War(G8 sometimes mentioned in relation to Live 8 or the London Bombings)Under the surfaceTop of mindLive 8 is still fairly top of mind for 2005 but Make Poverty History never mentioned spontaneouslyLive 8

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2005 AND GLOBAL POVERTY2005 already receded into history2005 just like any other year (except it also had Live 8)Now, almost new news that 2005 was supposed to be the year for Africa/global povertyAsking people how they feel about 2005 in relation to global poverty/third world countries was almost a redundant questionThe only issue/event dealing with poverty was Live 8, an event which dominated June/early July, but not 2005

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LIVE 8 AND MAKE POVERTY HISTORYLive 8 was the event, and Make Poverty History was its slogan.

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TOP OF MIND ASSOCIATIONS WITH LIVE 8/MPHMost PeopleLeast PeopleOct 05Jan 06Live 8/ AidBob Geldof/ BonoWristbandsRaising moneyTextingGordon BrownMidge UreDebtTony BlairRaising awarenessG8EmailpetitionPolitical pressureThe marchTrade/ aidLive 8/ AidBob Geldof/ BonoWristbandsRaising moneyDebtRaising awareness (Poverty)Something in Edinburgh (G8)Political Pressure (Prompted)Live 8 dominates anti-poverty activity in 2005, and its difficult to hold a discourse about Make Poverty History without talking about Live 8 first

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WHAT IS THE LEGACY OF LIVE 8 (MPH) IN THE PUBLIC MEMORY?Raising money for Africa (the third world)

Raising awareness about global poverty (its still there)

Telling governments to drop the debtTrade and aid have dropped off the public consciousness

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WHAT IS THE LEGACY OF LIVE 8, MPH, G8 ON AFRICA/GLOBAL POVERTY?MOST PEOPLE (Passive/Active Disengaged)LEAST PEOPLE (Passive Engaged) I dont think anythings any different to how it was this time last year.They didnt do everything they wanted to do, but at least I think they dropped some debt.RAISING MONEY dont know how much raised or where it went (-)RAISING AWARENESS lots more people know that theres poverty in the world (+)DROP THE DEBT not sure, think some may have been dropped but not much (+ and -) wasnt the core focus, so something of an aside (+ and -) had some impact on G8, and started a public dialogue (+) dropped some debt, so some countries better off (+)Better than nothing, but barely impactfulIt could be the start Evidence that the more engaged people are, the warmer they feel towards 05 activity and its impact on poverty

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WHERE DO WE THINK THE PASSIVE ENGAGED/MPH INVOLVED ARE NOW?See Live 8/MPH as the start of a journeyNo sense of being under any illusion that poverty would be made history in a year (very pragmatic)2005 has seen some (small) achievementsraised awareness (including theirs)dropped some debtThese people do not see 2005 as a failure but rather as a step in the right directionFeb 05The future

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WHY WASNT MORE ACHIEVED? because they didnt ask people to buy tickets for Live 8 because Live 8 didnt raise as much money as Live Aid because the public only really care about taxes because politicians wont lose elections over poverty in third world countries because the London bombings took over

Not enough moneyPoliticians dont careLive 8 takes most of the blame for a lack of achievement because people dont understand why it didnt aim to raise money

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TALKING ABOUT LIVE 8/MPH AND 2005Everyone knows about it (global poverty), but its become even more clear that no one cares 16-24 MPH involved I dont really remember the Make Poverty History campaign. I cant remember who set it up or who supported it, so you dont remember who communicated the message back to say whether it was a success 25-34 MPH involvedI think it fell flat because Bob Geldof couldnt pull it off a second time. A lot of people thought it was going to be like Live Aid but it wasnt35-50 MPH involvedAt the end of the day, I dont see the point of doing something just to make people aware of it, you want to make people aware of it to raise money35-50 MPH involvedWhat difference have I made to making poverty history just by listening to the message? 25-34 RND involved Youve lost me, the interest, the debt, I just thought they were raising money for the Third World countries and that was it16-24 RND involved

CAMPAIGNING AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC

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LIVE 8/MPH AND CAMPAIGNING (1)Worn as demonstration of support, because other people wore them, because they were pretty!About raising awareness (of poverty)By making people aware of poverty, more people might do something about it in the future (i.e. give money)Emailed because they were asked to (by friends, colleagues, unions)Demonstration of supportRead about it in magazines, saw it on Live 8Demonstration of supportWristbands dominate memory of Live 8/MPH actions, and even people who did text/email have almost forgotten that they did it

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TEXTING/EMAILING

Emailing and texting actions were taken as part of the event of Live 8/MPHPeople were asked to take action by familiar sources (this can include the media one 17yr old read about it in Bliss) and within a context where they had many related reference points (friends wristbands, Live 8 in the papers, Bob Geldof on the news, etc.)

Probably but only in the context of another event that penetrates their world (RND mentioned spontaneously) and as a passive act of support (for the event/organisation/ issue) rather than as a proactive political actionWhy did they do it?Will they do it again?These actions are taken as part of a collective and the point of the actions is rarely interrogatedWhen people start exploring the reasons behind taking these actions, confusion and defeatism quickly set in (in the absence of a real understanding of how campaigning actions work and no evidence that they work)

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TAKING ACTION FOR MPH: IMPLICATIONS FOR FUTURE ACTIVITY

RND, CIN, another Live 8 could provide the opportunities for more campaigningeveryone knows about it, water cooler, can see it on TV, can see resultsLess requirement to explain campaigning (and in fact this may over politicise)

Much more difficult to achieve with these audiencesdont understand campaigning (whats the point of sending an email?)less sense of mass involvementless engaged because issue rather than event ledCancer and kids currently have the best opportunities (highest engagement at the moment), but point of actions need to be explained firstEvent actionsOngoing actionsThese are the campaigning entry points for the mass publicMass public still a long way from this type of campaigning at the momentAnecdotal evidence suggests that campaigning actions DO have future potential with the mass public although currently only in a specific context

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A CAMPAIGNING STRATEGYGet people used to physically taking the actionsResults and feedback subtly educate re political pressureSomething else you can do as well as giving moneyDependent on engagement with issue (hygiene factor)Requires education around why and how actions work (i.e. MPs have to log every single email)Require evidence it worksActive and Passive DisengagedActive and Passive EngagedHow can we get the public engaged in campaigning in the future?Event led campaigningIssue led campaigningOver the next few years

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POTENTIAL FOR SPECIFIC ACTIONSMore likelyLess likelyOlderYoungerPostcardsLetterEmailingTextingDemoTextingEmailingDemoPostcardLetterLikelihood of taking these actions entirely dependent on levels of engagement and focus within personal worlds

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OVERCOMING BARRIERS TO TAKING ACTIONLack of understanding around concept of campaigningUbiquitous sense of cynicism in relation to politiciansNo sense of real democracy working (from me to my local MP)BARRIERSGeneral actionsEmail/text: security and privacy concerns (for older). Why do I have to give my name, address, email, phone number?Postcard/letter: an anathema to younger people who rarely visit a post boxSpecific actionsSOLUTIONSEvidence that governments do listen to their backbench MPs, general publicThe mechanics of campaigningReassure people why you want the information youre asking forReassure over privacy/selling information

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THE MECHANICS OF CAMPAIGNING: WHAT DO PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW?I receive a request to send an email/text I want to know:Who reads it? (Tony Blair, his minions, or no one?)What happens to it after its been read? (Deleted, stored, counted or ignored?)When has this worked before? (Am I wasting my time?)What was the outcome? (Did Tony Blair take any notice? Did it have any effect?)Take first actionContinue to take action

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THE MECHANICS OF CAMPAIGNING: WHO DO THEY NEED TO HEAR IT FROM?Most impactLeast impactFriends, colleagues (depending on friend and how often they send junk/jokes)Celebrities (depending on relevance and credibility)Magazines, TV programmes, newspapers (Bliss, T4)RND, CINCharities (sense that charities continually badgering and therefore people more closed to further requests)

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TALKING ABOUT TAKING ACTIONI only wore the band because I didnt want to be the only one who didnt 16-24 MPH involved I think weve tried the money route and it doesnt seem to work theres still debt and theres still poverty, so if I text my name, whats the hardship? Im willing to give it a go35-50 MPH involvedEmailing is pointless because at the end of the day the email is only going to go to his (Tonys) administrators, and hes not going to see them so everyone is just wasting their time16-24 MPH involved

THE TRADE ISSUE

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TALKING ABOUT TRADE

An organisation that provides fair wage for producersCoffee, tea, chocolate (stuff I buy)In my supermarket/school (my world)

Trade rulesEmbargoes, subsidiesFor everyoneAND for someThe term Fair Trade has been claimed by the public to talk about all issues relating to tradeTrade Justice does not appear to have broken into the public lexicon

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TRADE MESSAGINGAs we have found in previous research, people are easily thrown by anything that looks as though it requires time, concentration, or effortmight be complicated or confusing

What people are drawn to are messages thattalk about trade in a personal contextsimplify the trade issue (rich and poor, right and wrong)It is difficult to talk about trade with this audience (except the most MPH engaged), and they are fairly resistant to trade messaging. Few of the articles/posters/DM we put in front of them really cut through.

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IMPACTFUL TRADE MESSAGING (1)Use of coffee has a dual benefitImmediate connection to Fair Trade which people know and understandA common product that connects our behaviour to hard working poor people in the third worldHints at possibilities and implies that making poverty history is possible Sets out a list of what could be done in simple language, with a hopeful tone of voiceA direct connection to our behaviour and consumptionTalking about something that we can easily change/do

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IMPACTFUL TRADE MESSAGING (2)Clear contrast between the rich and the poor (and not us and them)Here, we feel more empathy with a poor, rural boy than we do with the corporate millionaires

Clearly explains the impact of world trade rules on the individualPlaces trade in a personal contextConnection between business and the third world surprising!

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TALKING ABOUT TRADEIts just like murder. If the only thing theyre growing is being charged at 200% tax, then theyre not going to sell anything, then theyre all going to die! 16-24 MPH involved Fair Trade also affects the fact that British farmers have surpluses that they sell to third world countries, which means they cant sell as much as they would normally16-24 RND involvedIt annoys me but theres nothing you can do about it16-24 MPH involved

THE CORRUPTION ISSUE

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UNPICKING CORRUPTIONRunning costs, overpaid staff, social eventsCharity overheadsMugabe, palaces, arms, feeding soldiers, lots of wives and also a sense that everyone is out for themselves and therefore no-one can really be trustedMore of an issue for older (16-24 yr olds often never even contemplated it)Political corruptionCorruption (specifically in relation to donating) is often a default word used to describe an uncertainty or lack of knowledge about what happens to aid once it leaves my handsMoney for the Tsunami still unspent, one woman in Pakistan being given 12 cooking pots etc.Aid agency disorganisationIt has three key strands:

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FROM ME TO THE POOR: PERCEPTIONS OF THE DONATION JOURNEYCharityThird worldThe peopleCharity overheadsHigh salariesBig luxurious officesSocial eventsInefficiency/wastage (aid agency disorganisation)How does it travel?Who receives it?Who administers it?Political corruptionPaying off officials/ warlords/anyoneCan talk about this with confidenceAll guesswork/media driven perceptions of third world countries/no changeHave difficulty talking about this as no real knowledge about how money gets into corrupt hands

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RESPONDING TO THE CORRUPTION ISSUEChoose a smaller charityChoose a charity that shows the resultsChoose a local (domestic) charityThis is happening already because people have choice and controlCharity overheadsStop giving to international charitiesIndications that this is beginning to happen, but its a slower process as there is no choice or control, and stopping altogether too much for most peoplePolitical corruptionThe publics lack of agency in relation to political corruption is making it harder for them to opt out (at the moment)

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RAISING THE ISSUE OF CORRUPTION IN COMMUNICATIONSShowing information and articles about corruption raise awareness, but feed negativity and defeatism (even for the most issue engaged)However, there were a couple of surprises (from what people were shown) Ghana has a democratic government and improved human rightsAfrica does not have all the most corrupt countries in the worldAfrica is a continent not a countryAfrican countries are not necessarily more corrupt than other countries

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TALKING ABOUT CORRUPTIONAs the years go by I get more and more cynical in that I think that you do drop the debt and then the governments will just rearm themselves, it will go on their internal wars 35-50 MPH involved If the message was that your money is not getting through, then I think it might have a detrimental affect on charities35-50 MPH involvedMy problem with phoning up and giving your 20 to the tsunami or whatever is that I think how much of my money is actually getting to that kiddy on the telly 35-50 MPH involvedI think Comic Relief should be more honest about corruption. I think they should tell us whats getting through. I think the reason that people are suspicious is because its dripped into the media and no one knows exactly whats happening 25-34 RND involved I like it because it said youre pissed off because your moneys not getting there, and theyre pissed off because your moneys not getting there. Its putting you on a level with the people that youre donating to, and its saying that your common enemy is the small group of corrupt people so lets stamp it out 25-34 RND involved

ROLE OF GOVERNMENT

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THE GOVERNMENT AND GLOBAL POVERTYPeople are still very unsure about the governments role in either contributing to, or alleviating global poverty beyondProviding aid after disastersBeing third world creditorsThere is very little sense of ongoing aidThere is a resistance to believing that the government might be involved in a positive sensetax my charity donationstax mein bed with multi-nationalsOnly help third world countries if something in it for them

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

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SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS (1)Passive Disengaged are reverting to type both in terms of knowledge and interest. However, opportunity still remains to mobilise Passive Engageds.

Live 8 dominates perceptions of Make Poverty History, and perceptions of anti-poverty activity in 2005. Indications are that recall of Make Poverty History is on the decline, and it is now seen as the slogan for Live 8s event.

People took action for Make Poverty History as part of a national event, rather than because they were particularly engaged in the issues.

Event based campaigning such as this appears to be the easiest way to mobilise Active and Passive Disengageds into campaigning. Active and Passive Engageds by their very nature are more open to campaigning around salient issues per se.

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