On Thursday, January 21, students from Georgetown’s Division of Professional Communications visited the World Wildlife Fund for the latest in the Center’s social impact field trip series. Students spent the afternoon learning from the marketing and communications team about the organization’s efforts to communicate on behalf of WWF, read their thoughts below:
Slacktivism, Supporters, Social Media
Miller Hollingsworth
Miller Hollingsworth
Miller Hollingsworth, PRCC student, asks the WWF presenters a question.
I really loved visiting the World Wildlife Fund and getting to meet a few team members last week. I found it interesting that the organization plans to emphasize a focus on peer-to-peer marketing. I remember that one presenter said that communication has always been word of mouth; the channels have just changed over time. They made the point that social media is just another way to communicate in the same way people have for generations. I also took note of how the team said that celebrities have a large impact on whether or not people will donate to a cause, and that it is beneficial to use them to an organization’s advantage. World Wildlife Fund in particular has capitalized on the fact that Leonard DiCaprio and Jared Leto support the organization. The presenters also talked about levels of engagement with communications tools. They pointed out that a “like” or “retweet” is good, but does not actually mean much as far as commitment. People who simply like or share a post are less likely to donate to a cause than those who sign up for email marketing. I think that this was a good lesson for us as young professionals to hear because there is an obsession with social media currently and it is important for us to realize that other forms of communication are actually more effective. This is not to say that the World Wildlife Fund does not take social media seriously; in fact, the presenter in charge of social media emphasized how important it was for all Facebook posts to be brand relevant. Overall, I found this trip extremely informative, and I loved meeting all of the staff present. I would love to go to a similar conservation organization soon through the Center.