Older & Bolder’s experience of using Youtube in online campaigning
The Irish Senior Citizens Parliament Voice of the Elderly
The Campaign to Defend the State Pension
“Offline” Campaign: • • • •
Postcards Petition stands Letter writing Constituency visits
Lessons: • • • • • • •
There is an audience for ageing issues online New (and retained) supporters Importance of online campaign infrastructure Offline link to online Exhausting offline potential - controversy Volume and sentiment Time intensive but rewarding
Diverse online audiences • • • • •
Older supporters Younger supporters Journalists Bloggers Politicians
Online Infrastructure: • • • • • •
Online ask Emails Website Facebook Twitter Video
Eugene Flynne 54 Degrees & Reddog Design
Sentiment and Volume 5,132 people signed our petition online, many leaving strongly worded comments too Please do not put older people below the poverty line by cutting our pension.
At the end of the day, if you make cuts it will costs you more in homes, health and you will definitely lose votes. Do not cut the state pension as I am finding it difficult enough to manage as it is with the cost of medication and no medical card.
Exhausting offline potential
Challenges: • What is success? – What value to put on a youtube view, facebook ‘like’ or twitter ‘retweet’?
• Success, at what cost? – Depicting older people sensitively – Challenged by PR & Director – Organisational values vs ‘loosing control’ – Time consuming but rewarding
Figures • 5,335 viewed video online • 5,132 signed online petition – 12% of 43,533 petition signatures
Thank You • • • •
Twitter: @olderbolderirl #MakeHomeWork www.olderandbolder.ie diarmaid.osullivan@olderandbolder.ie 01 878 3623