From the Wide World of Rotary: Public is aware of Rotary, but Unsure of What We Do

Posted by Kay Phillips 
on Oct 06, 2011
 
 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 organisation's image and boost public awareness? It’s up to every Rotarian to tell the world what Rotary is and does.

 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 organisation 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 organisation. 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 organisation. 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 organisation 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 organisation. Work needs to be directed toward communicating opportunities for women to join.
Courtesy of Rotarian John Dean, Wellington

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