The Ultimate Changemaker’s Guide To Starting A Movement

How To Start A Movement

A movement is a group of people with a shared purpose, who come together to create change. They are made up leaders, partnerships, grassroot support and a goal for the future. Creating a social movement can change the world by advancing justice for marginalised groups, getting laws passed, or changing culture and behaviours. So, you have an idea, and now you want to know how to start a movement. Creating a movement requires a clear plan and understanding of what you want to achieve, so we’ve laid out our top tips for how to start a movement for change.

BUILD A CLEAR BELIEF SYSTEM

Starting a movement requires a clear belief system and set goals to achieve. When starting out, you should know who you want to take action and what action you want them to take. If people know what you stand for they'll know whether to join you or not. For example, Stop Funding Hate is a movement with a clear belief system and set of goals. The movement began when a group of people came together online to express concern at the way certain newspapers were using hate and division to drive sales. Since its inception, companies such as Lego and The Body Shop have reevaluated their advertising with newspapers like The Daily Mail.

GIVE PEOPLE A VOICE

Supporters are at the heart of a movement, so ensure people know how they can get involved and contribute. Make it possible for supporters to talk, share and express their belief in your cause - this can lead to them taking more tangible action in the future such as signing a petition or joining a strike. Secondly, collaboration and co-creation is key. Groups like Citizens Assemblies ensure the public can deliberate upon and make recommendations in relation to a particular issue. The aim is to ensure a broadly representative group of people are given a voice to make change, rather than a top-down approach.

BUILD A SOCIAL PRESENCE

Social media is a great tool to use to share your mission and get visible. The accessibility of self-publishing means there’s so many ways we can share news and create on our own terms, without waiting to be discovered. Once you’ve built up a following or a platform, it's vital to keep your content coming out regularly to keep momentum and keep the movement connected. Consistency is key.In order to get the most out of your social content, it should bake in “reasons to share” and/or “reasons to care”. If you’re interested in learning more about creating shareable content read this article. Social media is great for updating your supporters and building momentum but remember it’s how we use it to drive real-world actions that keep a movement alive.

START SMALL

Start small but be bold. Having a connected and passionate crowd on your side, even if it’s small, is crucial. It’s those supporters that join in the early stages of movement building that have the courage to follow and show others how to follow. For example, activist Amika George started the ‘Free Periods’ movement back in 2017 with the mission to ensure no young person has to miss out on their education due to menstruation. Since the movement began, Amika and her supporters have urged the UK Government to comply with its legal obligations to ensure equal access to education for all children, irrespective of their sex. Just two months after the launch of legal action, the Government committed funding for free period products in schools in England, and later launched in January 2020. This demonstrates that what can begin as a small movement can contribute to widespread change. Amika and her supporters continue to destigmatise and change the narrative around periods.

KNOW YOUR PLACE

If you’re a brand looking to start a movement, it’s important to consider how the cause is relevant to your product. A social or brand purpose is increasingly important when considering how to engage conscious consumers, but intentions can come across as inauthentic. Take Pepsi’s failed political ad featuring Kendall Jenner in 2017 - their attempt to ‘start a conversation’ turned out to be a glaring misstep and inauthentic cash-in on many people’s unhappiness. The Pepsi ad failed by taking a very broad-stroke approach, as opposed to using their product or brand purpose to create credible and tangible change.Unless a movement is inherent in your product/service, it’s worth considering whether you could support an existing grassroots movement, rather than starting your own one. With existing consumers, social channels, followers and resources, brands can drive real change for smaller organisations if executed in the right way.

Key Takeaway

So, those are our top tips on how to create a movement. Movements have the potential to create real change, but in order to do so, you must know whatyou stand for, what you’re aiming for and how you’re going to achieve it. Remember that supporters are the foundation of any movement, so collaborate, listen and evolve with them. And lastly, if you’re a brand: always know your place. Contributing rather than leading can often be more effective.

Work With Us To Build A Movement For Social Change

If you’re looking to create change or want to know how to start a social movement, get in touch with one of our specialists here or, read more about our cause services here and case studies here.