planning & developing local campaigns ian poitier september 27th, 2011
TRANSCRIPT
Planning & DevelopingLocal Campaigns
Ian Poitier
September 27th, 2011
My Background
Local & International Campaigns– HIV/AIDS
Advertising– Consumer & Business-to-Business
PR– Consumer– Medical
Campaign Planning:9 Easy Steps
Source: The Democracy Centre
1. What do we want? (Goals)
2. Who can give it to us? (Audiences)
3. What do they need to hear? (Messages)
4. Who do they need to hear it from? (Messengers)
5. How do we get them to hear it? (Delivery)
Campaign Planning Cont’d
6. What have we got? (Resources; Strengths)
7. What do we need to develop? (Challenges; Gaps)
8. How do we begin? (First Steps)
9. How will we know it's working, or not working? (Evaluation)
Objectives
Tools & Techniques Explore / Share Issues Brainstorm / Develop Campaign Ideas
Today’s Sessions
1. Towards A Strategy
2. Communication & Media
3. Tactics & Activities
4. Building Success:Addressing Risks & Managing Resources
Session Format
Presentation Group Exercises & Feedback Case Studies Discussion
Session 1:Campaign Strategy
Strategy A - G: Key Steps
A. Agree Campaign Focus
B. ‘Problem’ Statement
C. Set Campaign Goals
D. Context Analysis
E. Critical Path
F. Key Players:Allies, Opponents, Constituents, Targets
G. Campaign Objectives
A. Agree Campaign Focus
Only PART of the problem / bigger issue Name the problem Identify issues Justify which you plan to tackle
B. ‘Problem Statement’
What social or environmental justice is at stake here?
Campaign against the ‘Unacceptable’
C. Set Campaign Goals
HOW DO YOU WANT THINGS TO BE? Focus on ONE goal
– No more than three Each Goal needs a Campaign Plan
D. What’s The Context
Range of Potential Issues Why hasn’t the change happened already? Issue-Mapping What Political, Economic, Cultural or Other
Factors are creating or maintaining this problem?– Who benefits from the problem being maintained?
– Who would benefit from it being changed?
– Start from where your audience is
E. Critical Path
HOW TO GET TO THE GOAL? What changes NEED to take place? What sequence of changes or outcomes will take
you from here to there?– Work backwards
– Assumptions? Which changes can you realistically bring about?
F. Allies, Opponents, Constituents, Targets
Who are the Key Players? Primary Targets
– The people who can give you what you want Secondary Targets
– Have influence with primary targets Allies: How to work with them Opponents: How are they likely to respond Constituents: What is their role
G. Campaign Objectives
Specific / Tangible Outcomes– No more than 3-4 Objectives per Goal
SMART Objectives Based on:
– Context Analysis– Critical Path– Resource Considerations
Exercise
Create An ‘Issue Map’
Case Study: Smoking Ban In Public Places (UK)
Long-Term Aim: Reduce/Eliminate Smoking– Strong opposition from tobacco industry
Campaign Goal: Restrict opportunities to smoke Re-framed Issue
– Not health consequences for smokers (Rights & Responsibilities)
– Consequences for ‘Passive Smokers’, Bar staff etc (Blameless & unjustly treated victims)
Case: Smoking Ban Cont’d
Health & Safety Issue– Alliance of local government, health officers, trade unions
acting on own initiatives Split the Opposition
– Hospitality Trade, not Tobacco Industry– Focus on London: more progressive
The Problem:– NOT smoking in general– BUT smoking in cabs, cafes, pubs etc
Public Opinion used to persuade Government– Politicians often react to the ‘fear of what might happen’
Session 2:Communications & Media
What’s Your Message?
What’s YOUR Proposition– What do you want People to Think / Feel / Do?
What’s Your Message (2)
Framing: Getting The ‘Story’ Right– Example: Smoking Ban– Avoid ‘The Issue’ (Check Issue Map)– Avoid Black Holes & Elephants– Don’t Be Led By The Press Agenda– Don’t Believe Your Detractors
• Use objective research to find out the truth
– Worry About The Right Things
What’s Your Message (3)
What Key Messages will be most appropriate to motivate Specific Audiences
Don’t Argue - SHOW Don’t Assume: ‘We Need To Change
Minds’– Might just need to MOBILISE
Choosing Media Channels
Broadcast vs Narrowcast
News Media
Target the media your audience uses BETTER: Address them directly Create The Reality
– Get Media to cover Real Events, which you create first Only use news for basic stories
– Features = better for complex stories– Better read & remembered
News needs Events + People– Provide BOTH
LOCAL media TENDS to be more trusted– More important to correct local inaccuracies
News Media Cont’d
Find out about Timing & Markets– Listeners / Viewers / Readers
Build ‘trusted’ relationships with Journalists News
– A change to something already understood– DON’T use to explain something completely new– First: social mainstream, local / specialist press & audiences
Don’t Waste Time Arguing With Media PUBLICITY IS NOT SUCCESS
– Only the EFFECT of it can be
Social Media
Old School– AWARENESS + ENGAGEMENT = ACTION
Internet Starts With ENGAGEMENT
Exercise: ‘National Redhead Week’
Organise Communication Plan for ‘National Redhead Week’
Provide a detailed plan for the week Key Issues:
– Who do you want to communicate to?– What Message?– What kind of response do you want from them?
Exercise: Communication Planning Grid
Objective
Campaign Activity
Audience
Message
Medium
Case Study: The Obama Campaign
Conventional Campaign Using New Media Communication Activities
– Sought Specific Outcomes
– Engaged People
– Main message = Short & Simple
– Visual
– Stories about Real People
– Set Communications Agenda in Outside World
– Media not allowed to dominate ‘framing’
Case: Obama Cont’d
Key Components– 50 States: NARROWCASTING via the Internet– The Problem: ‘Past Politics & Everyone Associated with
it’ = Vote for the New– Resources: Money– Resources: People - Registration, Early Voting– Heavy Investment in Technology– Social Media Perfect for Exploiting ‘People Like Me’– Careful use of discrete Channels– Encouraged use of ‘Small Steps’– Encouraged user-generated content (MyBO)
Session 3:Tactics & Activities
What Should We Do?
Will it be EFECTIVE?– Bring about the change we want– Help Achieve EACH Campaign Objective– Help Achieve Our Goal
Which will deliver the greatest impact for energy & resources invested
SO MANY IDEAS
How do we choose which ones to do?– Campaign against the ‘Unacceptable’
Brainstorm/Develop Criteria Beginning-Middle-End to sequence tactics
Exercise: Analysing Tactics
TACTIC
ANALYSIS OF TACTIC
(on a Scale of 1-10 the amount of…)Power It SHOWS
Power It CREATES
Energy it TAKES
Energy it CREATES
Case Study: World AIDS Day
An Unlikely Coalition Find A Symbol: The Red Ribbon Celebrity Endorsement Re-Framed as ‘Everybody’s Problem’ Fighting Fear Fighting Discrimination Objective: Say ‘AIDS’
Session 4:Success, Resources & Risks
What Does Success Look Like?
How will you know when it’s happening? Success Indicators
– Linked to Objectives
Some Success Indicators
Outputs: results of your activities Outcomes: changes will be brought about by your
outputs? Impact: longer-term effects of your project? Indicators: how will you know you have achieved
your objectives? How can you prove these changes have occurred? Monitoring Plan: How & When the Campaign
Plan will be revised.
Risky Business
What are the Main Risks? High/Medium or Low? How do you deal with them? Contingency Plans
– Scenario Planning
Resources: Working With More Than What You Have
Team: Roles & Responsibilities Budget
– Include non-financial & pro bono contributions– How can you ‘multiply’ your money?
Time/Timeline– Key Dates, Triggers, Milestones
How To Keep Going
How will this campaign continue to have impact after your planned work ends?
How will you build other Groups’ capacity– Strengthen Institutions– Consultation– Increase local ownership?
Exit Strategy– Even if you haven’t achieved Objectives
Learn From Successes & Failures
Evaluate Evaluate Evaluate
What Happens Next
Ongoing Development Ongoing Support