Implementation of the Hunt for Good Campaign in the Southeast: Increasing Public Support for Hunting Among Non-Hunters

Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies is partnering with the Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports and National Wild Turkey Federation to implement a regional launch of the Hunt for Good campaign to increase approval of legal, regulated hunting amongst non-hunters. Hunt for Good is the only national marketing campaign designed to build cultural support for hunting by highlighting topics that resonate with non-hunters, such as stewardship, quality food, strengthened social relationships, and improved wildlife health. The campaign’s implementation in the Northeast had positive and powerful impacts, but has been evaluated mainly on outputs such as impressions and clicks. If adopted for implementation in the Southeast, this will be the first marketing project of its kind to link public exposure to a marketing campaign back to the only two recruitment, retention, and reactivation outcomes that exist: whether the campaign has impacted someone’s decision to participate in hunting or whether the campaign has impacted someone’s support for hunting. This innovative role model is an essential step in recruitment, retention, and reactivation marketing efforts that need to be taken at a much larger scale than has been seen historically. The Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies' implementation of this campaign will focus on one specific outcome: whether exposure to the Hunt for Good campaign strengthens public support of hunting among non-hunters who live in urban areas and who recreate outdoors. Activities include deploying regionally tailored Hunt for Good ads in at least eight Southeastern states using paid and owned media ad placement techniques, hosting campaign assets on a regional landing page, and using surveys and analytics to evaluate changes in approval and support. Human dimensions specialists and marketing experts will help design evaluation tools to link campaign exposure with shifts in support for hunting. Expected outcomes are a measurable increase in public acceptance and support of hunting in the Southeast in non-hunters who are exposed to the Hunt for Good Campaign and a stronger framework for evaluating public support in the implementation of future campaigns. Deliverables will include customized campaign ads, regional landing page, survey results, evaluation report, campaign toolkit for states and partners, and presentation findings and future applications for partners and state Fish and Wildlife agencies. State Fish and Wildlife agencies will benefit from access to cost-effective campaigns and outcome-based data that can be adapted to their own needs. Results will provide long-term value by informing future Recruitment, Retention, and Reactivation marketing strategies that focus on positively impacting public approval across the region and beyond. No subrecipient activities are expected.