Boaters’ Perceptions of a Mobile App for a Marine Conservation Social Marketing Campaign

Abstract

This case study explored recreational boaters’ perceptions of a mobile app being developed in the context of a campaign to promote environmental responsibility in a U.S. Florida lagoon. Transcripts from six focus groups conducted with a target population of boaters to guide the conservation campaign were analyzed to identify and understand the barriers and benefits of the app that may influence its adoption with the desired behavior of better navigating the lagoon. Extant literature on social marketing and adoption and diffusion theory informed analysis. Overall, the results uncovered five perceived benefits and seven perceived barriers to adoption of the mobile app. Participants were interested in the app and had generally favorable reactions. They thought the app could fill a gap in boating technology and provide geographic information useful for improving the boating experience and health of the marine environment. However, there were also questions about the app’s purpose for the campaign and its ability to provide the quality and quantity of information desired for certain features. While some of this study’s identified benefits and barriers were consistent with the literature, others appeared unique to this social marketing and marine environment situation. The article concludes with a discussion of theoretical connections, practical implications, and future research recommendations.