Getting the message: audience resonance with Australian climate change campaigns

Abstract

This paper examines the climate change campaigns being conducted by seven environmental non-government organisations (NGOs) in Australia to determine how campaign messages are perceived by the intended audiences. The research examines whom the NGOs are targeting, and whether the messages resonate with these audiences. This paper compares the impressions of campaign effectiveness of the NGO campaigners against those of their identified audience groups. This comparison is presented in recognition that, as Giugni identifies, '[social movement success] is in large part subjectively assessed. Movement participants and external observers may have different perceptions of the success of a given action.'