Messengers are like swells in the ocean: repeating currents that carry narrative through the system. Ignoring them can be a big mistake.

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Communicating our story through a “messenger” that our target trusts is as important as the message itself. It must be clear why the messenger is sharing, and believes in, this message.

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How can we work with messengers to drive change? A simple communications plan might focus on one message, a few media outlets, and one tactic. An uncommon sense approach maps the various actors that can help spread and reinforce our message across the system. For example:

• Issue experts/Scientists - Share facts that influence beliefs

• Artists/Musicians/Performers - Create hope, change attitudes and behaviors

• Journalists - Expose scandals or uncover the truth

• Fiction writers - Inspire hope and imagination

• Sector leaders - Speak for their peers

• Organizers - Bring together different actors and messengers

• Grass tops - Represent the grassroots voice

We should think about our organization’s role in this ecosystem and who we can partner with to increase pressure and share communications widely.

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Climate Outreach carried out audience research in the UK during the lead up to the UNFCCC climate conference in Glasgow in 2021. Their findings showed  that the UK public trusted well known figures outside of government  far more than those responsible within government regarding climate change and climate related policies. Indeed the Prime Minister and Climate Minister were trusted the least in a list of public figures.

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Replication of graph -

Information and source: Climate Outreach, pre-UNFCCC COP26, 2021 https://climateoutreach.org/reports/britain-talks-cop26/#

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The Meatless Monday campaign in Brazil was an unsuccessful campaign showing how not to work with online influencers. 

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Agribusiness is a national industry in Brazil. Its focus on mass production of beef, often via cutting down forests, contributes to climate change.

 

A Brazilian bank called Bradesco, with significant investments in agribusiness, wanted to run a PR campaign to say it had a sustainable approach to the environment. It launched the Meatless Monday campaign, paying two online influencers to promote the idea of not eating meat on Mondays, in order to help the planet. There was a huge public backlash including waves of sexist comments directed at the two influencers.

 

Mistakes by Bradesco bank:

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1. Lack of Audience Understanding:

   • Brazil has high levels of food insecurity. The two influencers were white women from upper levels of society who had the privilege and luxury of making different food choices, unlike the 33 million people in Brazil who were struggling to get enough to eat.

   • Promoting meatless days without considering this context showed a disconnect from the realities faced by many Brazilians.

2. Inconsistent Messaging:

   • The bank’s involvement in agribusiness, often linked to environmental and ethical concerns, contradicted the message of Meatless Monday. This undermined the campaign’s credibility.

3. Poor Stakeholder Support:

   • The bank did not provide much support to the influencers to handle the backlash.

   • When criticisms arose, the influencers bore the brunt of it, while the bank issued a statement to protect its own reputation, which doubled down on its interests by including  claims that agribusiness was good for Brazil.

4. Ignoring Systemic Impacts:

   • The campaign did not address the broader systemic issues such as the negative impacts of agribusiness practices on indigenous and local communities, biodiversity and resilience, or offer sustainable, long-term solutions to reduce meat consumption. It focused narrowly on one day a week without addressing the deeper values, rules, and structures that sustain meat consumption.

5. Insufficient Strategic Communication:

   • There was a lack of strategic communications planning. The campaign did not consider potential risks or prepare a comprehensive response strategy for negative reactions. This led to a PR disaster when backlash occurred.

 

Understanding an audience also means understanding who they trust, and who they trust with which messages. If a trusted messenger gives an insincere, out of touch, message - this will not be received well by their audience.

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The Pulitzer Center's initiative focuses on addressing pressing rainforest issues through a comprehensive strategy that integrates journalism, education, and strategic communications. The project spans various regions, including South America, Central Africa, and Southeast Asia. The approach emphasizes adapting strategies to diverse local contexts rather than applying a uniform solution. The strategy is co-developed with local experts and community members, ensuring its resonance and impact. 

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The primary goal was to effectively communicate and mobilize action around rainforest conservation in diverse regions with distinct cultural, political, and social landscapes. The project develops region-specific, resonant, strategies to do this.

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Their approach included:

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1. Regional Analysis and Customization:

   • South America (Amazon Basin): Brazilian youth were targeted with campaigns reflecting their national narrative about the Amazon as a critical national asset. Conversely, Colombian youth, who did not identify as closely with the Amazon, required a different messaging approach to foster a sense of connection and urgency.

   • Central Africa (DRC and Congo Basin): In the Democratic Republic of Congo, community-based radio initiatives were used to reach local populations, combined with educational outreach in schools to engage younger audiences.

   • Southeast Asia (Mekong Region and Indonesia/Malaysia): The campaign in the Mekong region focused on influencer-driven initiatives, adapting methods to varying levels of communications freedom and regional differences in influencer culture.

2. Methodological Diversity:

   • Community Radio: In Central Africa, community radio was used to engage local populations in discussions about rainforest conservation, leveraging the widespread reach and accessibility of radio in these regions.

   • Educational Programs: Schools were targeted in the DRC through partnerships with teachers to incorporate rainforest issues into the curriculum, promoting awareness and action from a young age.

   • Influencer Collaborations: In Southeast Asia, influencers were engaged to reach younger audiences, with strategies customized according to local media landscapes and influencer dynamics.

   • Youth Engagement: The project adapted its approach based on regional differences in youth engagement. In the Amazon Basin, strategies addressed varying levels of concern and national narratives, while in Colombia and Peru, efforts were made to cultivate a stronger connection to the rainforest.

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Challenges and Solutions

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1. Diverse Needs: The challenge of addressing rainforest issues across diverse regions required nuanced understanding and tailored solutions. The project overcame this by using a system thinking approach to analyze each region’s unique needs and developing customized strategies accordingly.

2. Avoiding Uniformity: The initiative intentionally avoided a one-size-fits-all strategy. Instead, it focused on co-creating solutions with local audiences, ensuring that communications were relevant and impactful within each specific context.

3. Empathy and Local Collaboration: The project emphasized empathy and collaboration with local communities to ensure that strategies were not imposed but rather developed in partnership with those directly affected by rainforest issues.

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Results

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The integration of system thinking and strategic communication led to several key outcomes:

• Increased Engagement: Tailoring strategies to local contexts resulted in more effective engagement with diverse audiences, enhancing awareness and mobilization efforts.

• Localized Impact: By customizing approaches, the project was able to address specific regional challenges and opportunities, leading to more meaningful interactions and outcomes.

• Enhanced Understanding: The emphasis on co-creating solutions with local communities fostered a deeper understanding of the complex dynamics influencing rainforest conservation efforts.

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By avoiding a uniform approach and instead developing region-specific strategies, the Pulitzer Center’s initiative successfully engaged diverse audiences with trusted messengers and supported rainforest conservation efforts across multiple regions. The project exemplifies how tailored, empathetic communication strategies can address complex challenges in varied cultural and social contexts.

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