Narrative Change Newsletter // Jan-Feb 2025
Our monthly summary of research, ideas and insights about changing the narrative for animal freedom...
— Content we love —
This article offers an overview of the animal freedom movement - from our 19th century origins to present day - analysing our victories and stumbles along the way. It also explores why we might need to take a leaf out of the industry's playbook when it comes to organising different sectors, if we’re to really move the needle towards animal freedom…
Stories for Life - reshaping the narrative of our economic system
This website and video explore how we might change a harmful status quo through the stories we tell, and how they can help expand people’s imagination for what might be possible…
How messaging research helped reframe the debate around the freedom to marry
This article concisely summarises how the movement for marriage equality used public opinion research to understand how their narrative strategy was missing the mark and hampering their efforts for legislative wins. This realisation that they needed to pivot in their communications helped them win over hearts and minds. This article offers a blueprint for how our own movement can develop a narrative strategy for campaign milestones.
— Animal Think Tank’s strategy research —
Report // Mapping the path to animal freedom
Animal Think Tank has been consulting with a wide range of experts in our movement to map out potential pathways to 9 long-term objectives towards animal freedom. You can read one of the condensed reports here.
Webinar // What our movement can learn from the UK abolition of human slavery
The movement for the abolition of human slavery in the UK and the US is often seen as the closest historical parallels to the modern movement for animal freedom. Both involve the fight against property status, exploitation and 'othering' individuals. This webinar explores the key similarities and differences between these two movements, drawing critical takeaways that can inform and strengthen today’s movement for animal freedom.
— Animal Think Tank’s latest blogs —
What can our movement learn from anti-tobacco campaigns?
The Truth Initiative is a campaign aimed at ending teen cigarette smoking and vaping in the US. Its core narrative is focused on the deception of ‘Big Tobacco’ and the ability of young people to challenge it and take back control. It has been hugely successful, seeing the percentage of teen smokers falling from 22.6% in 2000 to 2.3% in 2021. (With ‌vapi…
How do we tackle the 'meat is necessary' narrative?
The belief that eating other animals is necessary remains one of the most entrenched justifications for animal consumption. Our research found that, depending on how the question is framed, 50–70% of people in the UK view animal products as essential for comfort or even survival. This belief aligns with the '4N' narratives—necessary, natural, normal and…
Y'all do such important work - I'm excited for these future resources!