A digital campaign to deter online purchase of illegal wildlife in Thailand
Summary:
An innovation of the USAID Wildlife Asia, a project to counter wildlife trafficking in Southeast Asia, is a digital campaign to deter the fast-growing online purchase of illegal wildlife. Implemented in Thailand from August 2018 to March 2019, the campaign aimed to prevent potential buyers of ivory, tiger, rhino horn, and pangolin products from pursuing their purchase through Google ads that increase online personal risk perceptions. The ads address wildlife consumption drivers (luck) and concerns (legality) revealed by the projects 2018 Thailand wildlife consumer research. Digital analytics regularly tracked results. Potential buyers were served an ad when they used a keyword denoting possible interest in buying wildlife online. If they were not deterred and clicked the accompanying link, they entered a landing page by Thailands Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation (DNP) warning that authorities are monitoring illegal wildlife trade online. Visitors were invited to take action - message DNP or call its hotline. Ads were served to 560,470 searches with 17,410 clicking to the landing page. The ad, Searching for you, had the lowest click rate to the page followed by Official Alert, suggesting high deterrence effects. Around 2,600 searches were tracked daily. The majority (89%) were Thai searches, with 90% emanating from Bangkok and other cities. Ivory was the most searched term (90%). Thai searches classified were broad (40%), accessories/items (25%), spiritual (20%), purchase information (10%). The campaign was cost effective ($0.015 per ad served). Three percent of page visitors took action. Phase 2 is planned.
Background/Objectives:
USAID Wildlife Asia is a project to combat transnational wildlife crime in Southeast Asia and China. One of its objectives is to reduce consumer demand for ivory, rhino, pangolin, and tiger. Its 2018 Thailand consumer research revealed that wildlife consumers search the internet for product information. A pilot digital campaign using google aimed to deter purchase of illegal wildlife through increasing personal risk perceptions online. From August 4, 2018 to March 15, 2019, potential buyers, identified by keywords used, were shown google ads developed using the 2018 research findings on consumption drivers (luck) and concerns (legality). Digital analytics tracked results.
Description of Intervention and/or Methods/Design:
Google ads and search engine optimization were used. Potential buyers were served one of four ads, in Thai, English, Vietnamese, or Chinese, when they searched a keyword denoting possible interest in buying ivory, tiger, pangolin or rhino products online. The ads key messages were:
Results/Lessons Learned:
By the campaigns end, ads were served to 560,470 searches with 17,410 clicking to the landing page. Searching for you had the lowest click rate to the page followed by Official Alert, suggesting high deterrence effects. Around 2,600 searches were tracked daily. Majority (89%) were searches in Thai; 10% were in English, with 90% emanating from Bangkok and other Thai cities. Searches were primarily from those 25-44 years old, with more males than females identified. Mobile was the major platform used. Ivory was the most searched term (90%) in Thai and English. Thai searches were classified as broad (40%), accessories/items (25%), spiritual (20%), purchase/price information (10%). The campaign was very cost effective ($0.015 per ad served) in reaching those interested in wildlife purchase or information. Three percent of landing page visitors took action clicked to DNPs page, sent a message, called the hotline.
Discussion/Implications for the Field:
Digital campaigns are cost-effective in reaching audiences, especially hard to reach groups like illegal wildlife consumers. They can reach audiences anonymously based on socio-demographic characteristics and interests. Digital campaigns have mainly been used for demand creation, generally targeting the audience to stay on the page longer, rather than leave the page. Although a very large targeted audience was reached within a short period, we need to monitor and assess attitudinal and behavioral changes from this campaign. Phase 2 will expand to additional channels (social media, websites) and run surveys to obtain user insights. These will be presented during the session.
Abstract submitted by:
Eleanora De Guzman - USAID Wildlife Asia
Sunny Patel - Trends Digital
David Garcia Cumplido - Trends Digital
Wanweena Tangsathianraphap - USAID Wildlife Asia
Kara Tureski - FHI 360
An innovation of the USAID Wildlife Asia, a project to counter wildlife trafficking in Southeast Asia, is a digital campaign to deter the fast-growing online purchase of illegal wildlife. Implemented in Thailand from August 2018 to March 2019, the campaign aimed to prevent potential buyers of ivory, tiger, rhino horn, and pangolin products from pursuing their purchase through Google ads that increase online personal risk perceptions. The ads address wildlife consumption drivers (luck) and concerns (legality) revealed by the projects 2018 Thailand wildlife consumer research. Digital analytics regularly tracked results. Potential buyers were served an ad when they used a keyword denoting possible interest in buying wildlife online. If they were not deterred and clicked the accompanying link, they entered a landing page by Thailands Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation (DNP) warning that authorities are monitoring illegal wildlife trade online. Visitors were invited to take action - message DNP or call its hotline. Ads were served to 560,470 searches with 17,410 clicking to the landing page. The ad, Searching for you, had the lowest click rate to the page followed by Official Alert, suggesting high deterrence effects. Around 2,600 searches were tracked daily. The majority (89%) were Thai searches, with 90% emanating from Bangkok and other cities. Ivory was the most searched term (90%). Thai searches classified were broad (40%), accessories/items (25%), spiritual (20%), purchase information (10%). The campaign was cost effective ($0.015 per ad served). Three percent of page visitors took action. Phase 2 is planned.
Background/Objectives:
USAID Wildlife Asia is a project to combat transnational wildlife crime in Southeast Asia and China. One of its objectives is to reduce consumer demand for ivory, rhino, pangolin, and tiger. Its 2018 Thailand consumer research revealed that wildlife consumers search the internet for product information. A pilot digital campaign using google aimed to deter purchase of illegal wildlife through increasing personal risk perceptions online. From August 4, 2018 to March 15, 2019, potential buyers, identified by keywords used, were shown google ads developed using the 2018 research findings on consumption drivers (luck) and concerns (legality). Digital analytics tracked results.
Description of Intervention and/or Methods/Design:
Google ads and search engine optimization were used. Potential buyers were served one of four ads, in Thai, English, Vietnamese, or Chinese, when they searched a keyword denoting possible interest in buying ivory, tiger, pangolin or rhino products online. The ads key messages were:
- Were Searching for you
- Dont buy bad luck
- Can you afford the fines
- Official alert You are being monitored
Results/Lessons Learned:
By the campaigns end, ads were served to 560,470 searches with 17,410 clicking to the landing page. Searching for you had the lowest click rate to the page followed by Official Alert, suggesting high deterrence effects. Around 2,600 searches were tracked daily. Majority (89%) were searches in Thai; 10% were in English, with 90% emanating from Bangkok and other Thai cities. Searches were primarily from those 25-44 years old, with more males than females identified. Mobile was the major platform used. Ivory was the most searched term (90%) in Thai and English. Thai searches were classified as broad (40%), accessories/items (25%), spiritual (20%), purchase/price information (10%). The campaign was very cost effective ($0.015 per ad served) in reaching those interested in wildlife purchase or information. Three percent of landing page visitors took action clicked to DNPs page, sent a message, called the hotline.
Discussion/Implications for the Field:
Digital campaigns are cost-effective in reaching audiences, especially hard to reach groups like illegal wildlife consumers. They can reach audiences anonymously based on socio-demographic characteristics and interests. Digital campaigns have mainly been used for demand creation, generally targeting the audience to stay on the page longer, rather than leave the page. Although a very large targeted audience was reached within a short period, we need to monitor and assess attitudinal and behavioral changes from this campaign. Phase 2 will expand to additional channels (social media, websites) and run surveys to obtain user insights. These will be presented during the session.
Abstract submitted by:
Eleanora De Guzman - USAID Wildlife Asia
Sunny Patel - Trends Digital
David Garcia Cumplido - Trends Digital
Wanweena Tangsathianraphap - USAID Wildlife Asia
Kara Tureski - FHI 360
Source
Approved abstract for the postponed 2020 SBCC Summit in Marrakech, Morocco. Provided by the International Steering Committee for the Summit. Image credit: Orraphan Sanornork/ USAID Wildlife Asia