Requests for Proposals for

Mercy is Power Campaign Impact Evaluation

1. Background

TRAFFIC is a leading non-governmental organisation working globally on trade in wild animals and plants in the context of both biodiversity conservation and sustainable development to help ensure that wildlife trade is not a threat to the conservation of nature. Unsustainable consumer demand for wildlife products is a leading cause for the threats facing many species across the world. TRAFFIC has been at the forefront of innovation within the field of Social and Behavioural Change (SBC) initiatives, running various projects with relevant stakeholders targeting specific consumers of a variety of threatened wildlife.

Global consumer demand for elephant ivory and tiger parts is a major driver of poaching and the consequent decline in numbers of these species. In Thailand, trade in ivory items is illegal unless they are from domesticated elephants, whilst all trade in tiger products is illegal.

TRAFFIC is a partner in the project “Combatting Illegal Wildlife Trade in Thailand, focusing on Ivory, Rhino Horn, Tiger and Pangolins”, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and managed by UNDP. As part of the project, TRAFFIC implemented the “Mercy is Power Campaign” in July – September 2021, a Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) initiative to reduce the demand in Thailand for elephant ivory and tiger products for spiritual reasons (e.g., amulets, small carvings)

The campaign built on earlier campaigns by USAID Wildlife Asia and incorporated insights from research that they had conducted before and after their campaigns. In 2018, USAID Wildlife Asia completed research on Consumer Demand for Ivory and Tiger Products in Thailand¹. The research included both qualitative and quantitative phases. Using insights from the 2018 research, USAID Wildlife Asia implemented SBC initiatives² in early 2020 to reduce the demand for these products by targeting spiritual beliefs in the power of ivory and tiger products to bring luck and/or prevent harm. The objectives of the initiative were to reduce the perceived benefits (provide protection, bring good luck and fortune) and increase the concerns about buying (spiritual power could be unfounded, association with cruelty and extinction). The intention was also to increase the social unacceptability of buying and owning these products. Additional campaigns were implemented to reduce the demand for ivory jewellery associated with its use for beauty.

After the campaigns, evaluation research³ was commissioned by USAID Wildlife Asia in July 2020 among consumers with the demographic characteristics associated with ivory/tiger purchasers/users.

The research showed that the campaign had the following impacts and learnings:

• The belief that ivory can bring good luck declined from 86% to 54%, and for tigers from 62% to 49%. The perception that ivory/tiger products provide protection also fell to 48% and 52% respectively. Meanwhile the perceived concerns that the spiritual power is unfounded increased to about 48% for both ivory and tiger products, and that the products are associated with cruelty increased to about 78%. Intention to buy among the respondents declined but was still 37% and 31% for ivory and tiger products respectively. Therefore, although the campaigns had some impact, additional initiatives are required to further reduce demand for these products.

• Messages relating to the illegality of buying the products did not resonate with the target, instead SBC initiatives which address the underlying motivations and increase the deterrents to purchase are more effective in changing attitudes and behaviours.

• Additional social mobilisation efforts to build social norms around the unacceptability of the products can also resonate with the target.

• The use of celebrities increased the impact of the messages.

• The most effective communication channels in achieving recall were online (Facebook, Google Ads, Instagram) followed by less-targeted offline channels (including newspapers, magazines, billboards, bus shelter and sidewalk ads, amulet magazines and tuk tuk ads).

2. Objective

The objective of this assignment is to evaluate the impacts of the Mercy is Power Campaign. The agency should recruit respondents who fit the target audience definition below. The impacts could be evaluated by comparing those exposed to the campaign with a control group who have not been exposed to the campaign, or by comparing the differences between those exposed to the campaign and those in UWA’s end-line research, or both.) The best option(s) should be specified in the proposal.

The evaluation should cover the following:

• Campaign recall

• Awareness of selected issues related to buying and owning ivory and tiger products (eg association with killing animals)

• Attitudes of those who have seen or heard the campaign messages and/or materials

• Perceptions towards the social unacceptability of buying or owning ivory and tiger products

• Past 12 months purchase or use of ivory and tiger products

• Intention to buy ivory and tiger products in the next 12 months

3. Target Audience

The target audience for this campaign are 30-55 years old males and females, Thai, married with kids, relatively well educated, affluent AB income group, entrepreneurs (e.g., SMEs, startups, merchants, online sellers, etc.), and may also be government officers. Within that broad socio-demographic group, sub-segments who are most likely to be interested in purchasing ivory and tiger products were identified according to their interests based on their online behaviour and the campaign was targeted to them accordingly. These include those who are interested in amulets, talisman, lucky charms, and ivory. The media planning and targeting strategy for the campaign can be shared upon request.

4. Campaign creative concept

The campaign plays on the Thai word Yan or yantra, a sheet of paper usually inscribed with drawings, texts, and incantations, which is believed to ward off danger and bring about good luck. The campaign aimed to shift people’s desire to buy/own tiger and elephant ivory amulets to owning digital yantra with tiger and elephant ivory prints on them. Consumers could download electronic yantra from the campaign website, which suits the digital lifestyle of Thais, and pledge to not buy or own ivory or tiger amulets. The electronic yantra, generated as part of the campaign, retain elements of the beliefs of wildlife consumers but can be owned without taking away the lives of wild elephants and tigers.

5. Campaign materials

Mercy is Power Campaign materials include

• Three 30-second hero videos

  • Life becomes better because of your own effort, not an amulet (link)

  • Mindfulness is what you need to overcome fear, not an amulet (link)

  • Problems can be solved with diligence, not an amulet (link)

• Three 15-second cutdown versions of the hero videos

  • Life becomes better because of your own effort, not an amulet (link)

  • Mindfulness is what you need to overcome fear, not an amulet (link)

  • Problems can be solved with diligence, not an amulet (link)

• Key visuals portraying three messages through yantras

  • Red yantra (power)

  • Green yantra (wealth)

  • Yellow yantra (protection)

• Pledging website www.mercyispower.com)

6. Dissemination The campaign dissemination was focused in online channels to reach the target audience efficiently. The dissemination channels were:

• Mercy is Power Facebook page (link)

• Mercy is Power YouTube channel (link)

• Key Opinion Leaders, including celebrities and social media content creators, were engaged to amplify the reach and impact of the campaign. Celebrities shared the key visual s through their Instagram and Facebook accounts. Social media content creators used the campaign information to develop unique content suitable for their audiences.

• Facebook Ads.

7. Campaign Duration

The Mercy is Power campaign was launched on 23 July and continues until 1 October 2021.

8. Scope of Work

As part of responding to this RFP, offerors are required to develop and submit the following deliverables and a cost proposal:

• Proposed research design for a quantitative survey that will accomplish the objectives as per above. The agency will propose the most effective research methodology. Data collection methods should take account of the COVID-19 situation.

• Questions used to measure attitudes, social acceptability/norms, intention to use and use in the past 12 months.

• Implement the campaign evaluation according to the approved research proposal and plan. This task will include, among others:

  1. Translation of the questionnaire to Thai

  2. Recruitment of eligible respondents from the target audience

  3. Data collection plan, including logistics and management of data based on the approved methodology and instruments

  4. Tabulation and analysis of data

  5. Preparation of research report in Microsoft PowerPoint

  6. Presentation of findings to TRAFFIC, UNDP, DNP and Demand Reduction Steering Group.

  7. Data collection is expected to take place in October 2021 right after completion of the campaign.

  8. Data collection methods can be adapted in consideration of the COVID-19 situation.

  9. Supervise the quality of work, logistics, and data reporting, necessary to complete the Scope of Work.

  10. Deliverables relevant to the above tasks will be submitted to TRAFFIC according to the schedule below.

  11. Payment will be made based on the deliverables approved by TRAFFIC.

9. Budget

The total budget allocated for the above scope of work is not to exceed USD 30,000.

The fee payable by TRAFFIC is inclusive of any sales taxes that may be chargeable by the consultant. Any liability for sales taxes payable outside of the UK rests with the consultant.

10. Timeframe

11. Proposal submission

The proposal should also include:

1. Suitability for the work including an example of relevant past work

2. Draft budget (using the budget summary template in Annex 1)

3. Proposed timeline

4. CVs of Key Personnel

5. Proof of Incorporation

And send by 10 September, 5:00 pm UK time, via email to
Katie Mabbutt, Project Support Officer TRAFFIC

Email: katie.mabbutt@traffic.org

For more information on TRAFFIC visit www.traffic.org

TRAFFIC International is a UK Registered Charity No. 1076722, Registered Limited Company No. 3785518.

Load pdf file : https://www.thaingo.org/jobs/files/INT477 - RFP_Mercy is Power Campaign Evaluation_210819 final.pdf