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Ugh.
Some free comms advice. If you ever work at a non profit, Government agency or just are passionate about an issue and want to raise awareness - save this and file it under “do the opposite”.
Some free comms advice. If you ever work at a non profit, Government agency or just are passionate about an issue and want to raise awareness - save this and file it under “do the opposite”.
Why?
There’s a few things:
- Negative emotions drive inaction more than they drive action. This is why fossil fuel companies promote the “it’s all too hard” narrative on climate change.
Scaring and making people feel bad in the name of awareness often has the opposite effect.
There’s a few things:
- Negative emotions drive inaction more than they drive action. This is why fossil fuel companies promote the “it’s all too hard” narrative on climate change.
Scaring and making people feel bad in the name of awareness often has the opposite effect.
- Want to get people to buy or do or donate to something? You show them the happy end result of their contribution.
A cleaner doesn’t advertise their services with photos of messy houses or them scrubbing your toilet.
They show you the pristine house and say “you can have this”
A cleaner doesn’t advertise their services with photos of messy houses or them scrubbing your toilet.
They show you the pristine house and say “you can have this”
- This kind of imagery can have an actively negative effect on the people experiencing the thing.
Take it from someone who’s lived 32 years of well meaning public messaging and imagery about homophobia that accidentally tells you “your life is going to be shit and hard”.
Take it from someone who’s lived 32 years of well meaning public messaging and imagery about homophobia that accidentally tells you “your life is going to be shit and hard”.
Emotions are powerful and necessary to engage people.
But negative emotions are the laziest, easiest option.
You get a reaction, but no action - sometimes actively damaging to your cause.
But negative emotions are the laziest, easiest option.
You get a reaction, but no action - sometimes actively damaging to your cause.
If a marketing agency ever offers you cheap or pro bono work for a social cause, don’t accept it just because it’s free.
Make sure they actually understand the issue and how behaviour change works in social change.
Make sure they actually understand the issue and how behaviour change works in social change.
Hot tip - they’re usually taking on pro bono work to try and win some awards to promote themselves with. 99% of the time their priority is making themselves look altruistic/innovative/creative - not actually helping your social issue.
