Reciprocity Effect
This very well known example shows us how it works:
A study examined what happened when a hotel posted signs in each room saying donations had been made to an environmental group on behalf of its guests to thank them for reusing towels. The signs asked to reciprocate by reusing towels and the hotel succeeded in increasing re-use by 45%. When instead the signs offered to donate to an environmental group if guests reuse their towels, it didn’t bring any increase in reuse. By donating first, the hotel invoked the rule of reciprocity.
We will be more influential if we let people know we like them, so they will reciprocate by liking us. We can also make them aware that we changed our minds on something, so they will reciprocate by changing theirs.
“Our objective was to show that in this city there is lesbian community that is not quite in-line with the image that society holds of them, and we planned to do that by putting the word lesbian in the public discourse in a funny and friendly way. It was important for us not to have any particular political demand. We didn’t even brand the action, so it wouldn’t look like a traditional protest action by one specific group. The messages included “Lesbians Welcome You to Skopje”; “Lesbians Wish you a Safe Journey”; “Lesbians Wish you a Good Day”; etc, so it was considered “cute” and a-political by the broader public”[/ultimate_modal]
Being kind to people begets kindness in return. A group of Lesbian activists from Macedonia put this motto to test and hung banners from highway overpasses with “cute” messages.
“Our objective was to show that in this city there is lesbian community that is not quite in-line with the image that society holds of them, and we planned to do that by putting the word lesbian in the public discourse in a funny and friendly way. It was important for us not to have any particular political demand. We didn’t even brand the action, so it wouldn’t look like a traditional protest action by one specific group. The messages included “Lesbians Welcome You to Skopje”; “Lesbians Wish you a Safe Journey”; “Lesbians Wish you a Good Day”; etc, so it was considered “cute” and a-political by the broader public”
Interaction!
Can you imagine how would you use the reciprocity effect in your campaign? What could you "offer" your target group that could make them want to "reciprocate"?