Science of Giving 12: Sea Monkeys and the Case for Tangibility
- Sat, February 26 2011
- Filed under: Fundraising essentials
Today is the last post in my series on the psychology of giving, based on the fascinating book, The Science of Giving. For the grand finale, we get to talk about sea monkeys and tangibility!
A few years ago, Proctor & Gamble launched a cause-related marketing campaign in South Africa. It was called “1 Pack=1 Vaccine,” and for every pack of diapers sold, a child was vaccinated against tetanus. It was wildly successful, boosting Pampers sales and resulting in 150 million vaccines.
A rival campaign didn’t fare so well. Its slogan was less tangible, not to mention wordy: “1 pack will help eradicate newborn tetanus globally.” Meh.
Unfortunately, as this example from researchers Cynthia Cryder and George Loewenstein illustrates all too well, we often talk in intangible terms, and it doesn’t work very well. The vast majority of good causes have messaging closer to the failed campaign. And that’s a very tangible problem.
Why do you need to get as tangible as the 1 Pack=1 Vaccine message? Because:
1. Donors are skeptical and need reassurance your cause is effective. Being specific about what you do with donations instills trust.
2. Tangibility bolsters the belief a gift will make a difference. Buying diapers that help fight tetanus globally is less emotionally compelling than vaccinating a baby. We want to know we’re making a real human impact, not just a dent in a huge problem.
3. Being concrete makes people care more. People have stronger emotional reactions to an individual or specific situation, which in turn makes them more generous.
There’s no doubt about it: People like to support specific needs. Research shows people give two to three times more money when an intangible need is replaced with a specific impact.
A researcher into this phenomenon was inspired to study the tangibility effect further when his daughter’s school class had an aquarium filled with sea monkeys (which are actually just brine shrimp). The researcher noted the monkeys kept dying off until there was only one sole sea monkey left. No one seemed to care until there was only one monkey left floating. The children, who’d viewed the crowded tank as an undifferentiated mass, became hugely devoted to the last sea monkey. They described its personality and cared deeply about its survival, though its brethren’s deaths had barely raised an eyebrow.
Inspired, the researcher did a follow-up study with sea creatures. When participants saw many together in a tank, they were less likely to describe them as conscious, smart or interesting. They were far more likely to bond with one creature alone—or with an odd-looking standout from the crowd.
Attention nonprofit marketers: the lone sea monkey rules.
In other words, be concrete – It’s what cements your relationship with your donors.