All posts by Bec:

Comms Good Practice To segment or not to segment? When to use audience segmentation in campaigns

Segmentation research needs to serve our strategy, not be the strategy. And we should only do it if it’s the best way to understand our audience, if we keep our communications rooted in our values, and if we can actually target the segments we find.  On the face of it, audience segmentation is a noRead more

Pandemic Response: Part 6 Pandemic Resources Regularly updated

Action is the antidote to despair. Joan Baez Resources for communicating about COVID-19: National Covid-19 Messaging Document ASO Communications Talking About COVID-19: A Call for Racial, Economic, and Health Equity The Opportunity Agenda Progressive Framing of the Coronavirus Pandemic The Commons Social Change Library Covid-19 Pandemic Resources for Progressives Australian Progress Metaphors in the timeRead more

Pandemic Response: Part 4 Pandemic Metaphors 21 Tracking the narrative

Analyses of language reveal the extraordinary fact that we use around one metaphor for every ten seconds of speech or written work. If that sounds like too much, it’s because you’re so used to thinking metaphorically – to speaking of ideas that are ‘conceived’ or rain that is ‘driving’ or rage that is ‘burning’ orRead more

Pandemic Response: Part 3 Pandemic Beliefs 1 Understanding the narrative

Only a crisis – actual or perceived – produces real change. When that crisis occurs, the actions that are taken depend on the ideas that are lying around. Milton Friedman So what are the ideas that are lying around? You may not share Milton Friedman’s opinion of the ideas we need lying around. But ourRead more

Pandemic Response: Part 1 Unimaginable times 2 An evolving resource

Just a few weeks ago, this moment was unimaginable. We would not have believed the headlines, or been able to picture how the high street looks today. COVID-19 has abruptly pressed pause on anything that resembles ‘normal’ day-to-day life. This is a moment of anxiety. We are fearful for our health and the health ofRead more

Election Guide Talking climate justice this election 1 Four things to consider

Climate change is featuring in this election like it has never featured in any British election before. Barely mentioned in previous election cycles, this year we have seen it front and centre of manifesto pledges, and Channel 4 hosting a climate debate for the first time. Awareness and concern about climate change is now at an all time high, and we are at a critical fork in the road: We vote for a government that will act on climate change, or we don’t and face the consequences. 

Movement Narrative Review The Narratives We Need 1 Strengthening the stories that unite us

Read the Wakanda Version of The Narratives We Need or buy the poster. Social movements across Europe face some common framing challenges. We asked over 200 campaigners—environmentalists, feminists, anti-racists, new economists, and many more—what we’re up against, analysed the trends and pulled together the key lessons. If you’re part of a group organising for socialRead more

New Publication A new guide to testing your communications

When you communicate you usually have a good idea of what you want to say and the change you want to make. But when it comes to crafting a message, how do you know whether it will work? Testing helps you find out whether your choice of framing (the emphasis you put on particular concepts)Read more

New Report Framing the Economy Findings How to win the case for a better system...

Today PIRC, the New Economics Foundation, NEON and the FrameWorks Institute are launching two story strategies that progressives can use to shift thinking on the economy. They’re built on values and metaphors that encourage the hope that change is possible and increase people’s support for progressive policies. Download the report Why we need new storiesRead more

Interview Meeting Shalom Schwartz

Shalom Schwartz is the psychologist behind the values model that inspires Common Cause, a values-led approach to social change. This summer, I met him at his home in New York. We talked about the connection between values and behaviour, some of the strangest applications of his theory and, of course, the values that matter toRead more

New Publication General Election Communication Guide 3 For anyone working for a more equitable, democratic & sustainable society

It’s just seven days until the polling stations close. Depending on your constitution (and/or the most recent poll you have seen), you might feel we are living in exciting (or terrifying) political times, or you might agree with Brenda in Bristol that there is just too much politics these days. Either way, it’s important not toRead more

Project Overview Beyond “The Game is Rigged” 1 Finding a New Economic Story

“If you think about it, the economy is rigged. The banking system is rigged. There’s a lot of things that are rigged in this world of ours… and we’re going to change it. You know, the system, folks, is rigged. It’s a rigged system.” If we take the word ‘folks’ out, this quote from DonaldRead more

New Research Can you help reframe the economy? Request for research

Call out for research literature! PIRC, New Economics Foundation, NEON and the Frameworks Institute are starting an 18 month project on Framing the Economy, helping social movements tell a better, more compelling story about what our economy is for, how it’s broken, and how we can fix it. It’s an ambitious project and we want toRead more

Rekindling Kindliness 1 Learning from Hebden Bridge

Last week, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation released a report that calls for more kindness in communities, and outlines some ways that helpfulness and support can be encouraged. It shows that kindness takes different forms,  not all of them equal in their impact, and it looks at a real British community (Hebden Bridge) to make recommendations thatRead more