Do vegan campaigns work to spread a compassionate message? So far, there are no definitive studies that analyze the effectiveness of vegan campaigns in creating change. However, Veganuary, a UK-based charity that encourages people to try veganism for the month of January and throughout the year, could provide some insight into what makes a successful campaign.

SUCCESS IN THE U.K.
Launched in 2014, the Veganuary website provides curious individuals with vegan recipes, resources, and motivation. According to the organization, the number of sign-ups for the campaign has roughly doubled each year since its conception.

In 2014, a mere 3,300 signed up to try a plant-based diet. But in 2018, the charity reported that a record-breaking 168,542 took part. The BBC picked up on the campaign’s wild success, and last February, it credited Veganuary for the nation’s surge in vegans. Recent research backs this claim: veganism has risen by 700 percent between 2015-2017, now representing 7 percent of the British population.

Riding on a successful four years of promoting veganism throughout the country, last July, Veganuary announced it is aiming for global expansion. The majority of the campaign’s participants reside in English-speaking countries, but through crowdfunding, campaign organizers hope to hire new staff and launch new websites in languages for people across the globe. An emphasis will be put on countries where meat consumption is highest, such as China, Brazil, and India and each country’s campaign website will feature plant-based recipes for traditional cultural dishes.