What is "Awareness" For?

A Goal or a Vehicle?

In the nonprofit world, public awareness is considered to be an important function of the charity.  I think it is important - but not in and of itself.  I don't view "awareness" as a goal.  I view awareness as a vehicle to help achieve a goal.

I am aware of many things, but that awareness makes no difference in my life or anyone else's.  I am aware of the horrific wars in the Congo that have resulted in more than 6 million deaths.  But I haven't done anything about it.  I am aware that the Burrowing Owl is endangered.  But I don't do anything about that either. 

Many, many organizations have done an outstanding job of making me aware.  But precious few have inspired me to do anything about the things they made me aware of. What is the point of being aware, if it results in nothing more than awareness?

Clearly, public awareness serves many important purposes, but only if it results in some sort of action (or prevents an action).  Here are some examples that come to mind:

• Prevention, protection, safety, services: Helping people prevent an illness or an accident, dietary information to make you healthy, exercise promotion etc. There are lots of great things people can do, or avoid doing to make their lives or someone else's life better.
• Advocacy, Social change: Pretty self explanatory... organizations often benefit from public awareness that causes governments to make changes or causes people to change the way they think about an issue or a cause and therefore make someone's life better. (i.e. discrimination, abuse etc.)
• Raising funds & attracting volunteers: People can't give or help if they don't know about you, and care about you (a lot!).  A higher profile can also help to attract corporate support, if the awareness campaign can offer significant quantifiable measurements to prove to the sponsor that it has value.

These are all useful and important functions of "awareness".  However, I often hear people touting the importance of awareness as if the goal begins and ends at making people aware. 

But, but... We still raised awareness! 

So if we remove the outcomes I've itemized above - what is the point of awareness?  If people don't "do" (or stop doing) something with their new-found awareness, why does it matter that they are aware?  Why do people often say things like "Yes, but it also spread awareness", as if that awareness has value when the act they were hoping to inspire didn't occur and nobody can point to something that resulted from that awareness?

Is there some kind of intrinsic value to the fact that I know about the Congo and the Burrowing Owl and do nothing about it?  If so, I'd love to know what that value is, because I am at a loss to identify it.

Comments

[Harvey mckinnon]

Great piece and so true. I have dents in my head from beating it against a wall after I've tried to explain this to clients over the years. The dents occur when they invest money in "communication" with no objective other than awareness. Thank Laurie.

[Laurie Pringle]

Hi Harvey:

 

Thanks so much for your comment.  I've not been involved with NFP's nearly as long as you have, but I already have a couple dents!  Can you recommend an appropriate repair shop?

 

[Claire]

"We raised Awareness!" often equals: "Our marketing team convinced us not to ask for money."

[Laurie Pringle]

LULZ... Thanks for the smiles, Claire!
 
 

[Paul J. Clifford]

This is so true! You cannot cash an awareness check. Good example: I was not aware of you until you commented on my comment on Andy's blog, this awareness caused an action to find out more about you and I found this blog! I gueess the awareness became valuable when I read your great posts.

[Laurie Pringle]

Ha! Thanks for the comment Paul.  I'm really glad to have found you and Andy!  Our exchange has given me much pause for thought today. Nice to 'meet' you!  And thanks again for stopping by. :)