Do your friends and co-workers know that you're a Rotarian? Do you
tell acquaintances about your club's good works in the community or
internationally?
Did you know that talking about your involvement in Rotary could
significantly enhance the organization's image and boost public
awareness? It’s up to every Rotarian to tell the world what Rotary is
and does.(click below to read more)
According to a public image survey commissioned by Rotary
International in 2010, people are much more likely to know about Rotary
and perceive it positively as a charitable organization if they
personally know a Rotarian. The finding is just one of many that could
shape how clubs and districts promote Rotary in their communities.
RI commissioned the survey of 1,000 individuals in each of six
countries -- Argentina, Australia, Germany, Japan, South Africa, and the
United States -- to gauge the general public's awareness and perception
of the organization. The results are consistent with those of a similar
survey conducted in 2006: While respondents had heard of Rotary, they
did not know much about what it does.
Building familiarity is not easy, says Pauline Leung, Rotary public
image general coordinator. "Sometimes Rotarians are doing too many
things and can get people confused about Rotary. We must have
consistency when promoting the image of Rotary. Rotarians should receive
training so they can clearly express our position, our vision, our
values, and our areas of focus."
High awareness, low familiarity
The survey showed that awareness of Rotary varies from country to
country, and culture to culture. Of the six countries surveyed,
Australia had the highest proportion of respondents who said they were
aware of Rotary (95 percent), while Germany had the lowest (34 percent).
But awareness of Rotary doesn't necessarily translate into
familiarity with what it does. While almost everyone in Australia
indicated an awareness of Rotary, only 35 percent of respondents said
they had some familiarity with the organization. In South Africa, where
80 percent of respondents indicated they were aware of Rotary, only 23
percent said they had some familiarity with what it does.
The survey report concluded that public image efforts will need to
be tailored to each country. It also noted that boosting awareness alone
will not be enough to get the public to readily associate Rotary with
good works, or to generate greater community involvement.
The survey further concluded that demographics play a significant
role in whether people have heard of Rotary. The survey included a cross
section of each country's population by age, gender, income level, and
education level. In Japan, 67 percent of respondents age 40 or older
said they had heard of Rotary, compared to only 38 percent of those
younger than 40. In Argentina, 63 percent of the highest income bracket
had heard of Rotary, while only 20 percent of the lowest income bracket
had. The report concluded that clubs may need to gain a better
understanding of what would increase interest among younger
professionals.
Public perception and giving
The public’s view of Rotarians differs somewhat from how Rotarians
see themselves. More than 65 percent of respondents viewed Rotarians as
charitable, respected, and caring. But only 26 percent selected the
attribute women to describe Rotary, while more than 50 percent
associated the organization with men. In other questions, more
respondents said they associated club membership with men than with
women. The survey concluded that Rotary is still being seen as a
male-dominated organization. Work needs to be directed toward
communicating opportunities for women to join.
Interest in contributing time or money to a Rotary club varied by
nation. Interest was highest in South Africa, at 49 percent, and lowest
in Japan, at 10 percent. The survey report concluded that because
interest in contributing money varies by nation, Rotarians need to
tailor marketing efforts to reflect local club initiatives.
The public’s interest in joining a Rotary club is low. Among the
countries surveyed, an average of only 16 percent of respondents said
they would be likely to join a local Rotary club. More than 59 percent
said they would be unlikely to join. In the United States, women were
half as likely as men to report interest in joining.
The 1.2 million Rotary club members worldwide are the organization's greatest strength. Here are a few resources that clubs and districts can use to promote Rotary:
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