Check, Clean, Dry

A Social Marketing Case Study


Background
The Government has entrusted the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) with leading the protection and sustainable development of our biological resources for all New Zealanders. MAF Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ) was formed in 2004 and is committed to a social marketing campaign slowing the spread of didymo (Didymosphenia geminata) and other aquatic weeds. This is one of the country’s first examples of this type of approach in the environmental sustainability field. Didymo is a microscopic alga, first confirmed in the country in 2004, that can devastate fresh waterways. The campaign uses the call to action ‘Check, Clean, Dry’.


Duration of the project
The campaign, now in its fourth year, focuses on getting waterways users to always Check, Clean and Dry equipment and clothing when travelling between waterways.

Formative research
Evidence suggests that human activities are most likely responsible for the spread of didymo both globally and regionally. The New Zealand campaign focus, underpinned by collaboration between national and regional agencies, is to get freshwater users to take personal responsibility for reducing the risk of spread. The key behaviour message for this voluntary compliance is ‘Check, Clean and Dry’.

Benchmark research was carried out in 2006. High risk users of fresh waterways were identified, and formative research, seeking to understand motivators and barriers, led to understanding around the three distinct mindsets of waterway users;
· role and importance of natural environment
· attitude toward personal role and contribution
· where they live.

Segment positioning was used to identify common needs across market segments, as well as to place each of the high risk segments within a Stages of Change model, and to summarise benefits and costs for each.

Market segmentation – high risk audiences:
Target group/s
Priority Audiences:
· High risk water-user groups
Research identified:
Fishers (anglers, eelers, whitebaiters)
Kayakers
Jet boaters
Weekend/pleasure boaters
These are both New Zealanders and visitors to New Zealand
· Also identified
Trampers
Multisporters (ie mountain runners as opposed to triathlons)
School children
Swimmers
Drivers (4WD)


Geographic scope of the project
Didymo is a microscopic alga found in many other countries. It was first detected in New Zealand in 2004 - in a Southland river. At the time of writing it had spread to many fresh waterways in the South Island, but had not reached the North Island.

The Check, Clean, Dry campaign is national, and draws on international knowledge. Partner agencies include DOC, Regional Councils, Iwi, and industry through out the country.


Goals and objectives
· Ingrain the Check, Clean, Dry behaviour into New Zealand society so that aquatic pests and diseases like didymo are more easily controlled.
· Get all freshwater users to Check, Clean, Dry, every time they move between waterways.



Strategy
· Target high-risk water-user groups through the people and organisations they connect with, the publications they read, at the waterways they use, and at events they attend.
· Reinforce the message to the general public through mainstream media and traveller publications, locations and events.

To underpin this, a collaboration with partner agencies was developed.

Implementation
Activities include:
· Developing and distributing resources and tools
· Advertising in targeted media
· Participating in targeted events
· Working with Government agencies and national / community organisations,
· Funding regional and district councils for local activities
· Assessing risks and issues to plan careful messaging and stakeholder communications.


Evaluation
End user audience research in 2007 shows progress toward meeting campaign objectives, including getting traction with high risk waterways users:
There are high levels of awareness of MAF/ MAF Biosecurity New Zealand’s role in preventing the spread of didymo – some 57% mention MAF spontaneously and over 90% are aware after prompting. It is widely recognised that other organisations also have a role to play, in particular Department of Conservation, Regional Councils, Fish & Game and any clubs/ associations associated with freshwater recreation.
85 percent of users having heard of Check, Clean, Dry in relation to didymo in 2007 (up from 53% in 2006)
76% said they had personally taken different steps to stop didymo (up from 29% in 2006)
The 2007 campaign had significantly higher cut through than the 2006 campaign
The more messages people had seen the more likely they were to comply.


Lessons learned
The research showed that the campaign and its messages have a presence in many places, but there are also still many places where the campaign’s presence is not felt. There is an opportunity for the campaign to continue to become more visible, so that the message becomes inescapable and that Check, Clean, Dry becomes the social norm. The challenge is to ingrain Check, Clean, Dry into the New Zealand culture, as the accepted thing to do.

The 2007 research has identified a number of opportunities for the campaign to do this by, including better targeting of activities to recognise that:
· Those who believe didymo will have a real impact on their lives – in their own region and/or on their own activities – are more likely to Check, Clean, Dry.
· Those who believe they can make a difference and have a personal role to play in slowing the spread of didymo are more likely to Check, Clean, Dry than those who do not see a role for themselves in the campaign.

Also, the 2007 research did not measure the attitudes and behaviours of less frequent waterways users, who have not been the main target of the campaign.
The campaign needs to support the objectives of the Didymo Long-Term Management Programme, which are to slow the spread of didymo and other freshwater pests throughout New Zealand; protect valued sites and at-risk species; mitigate impacts of didymo on affected sectors; and maintain the North Island free of didymo for as long as possible.

Agencies used
Senate
Y & R
Nielsen


More information
Matthew Thorpe
Matthew.thorpe@maf.govt.nz
MAF Biosecurity New Zealand
www.biosecurity.govt.nz