Campaign messages
Sharing facts or instructing someone to change behaviour is rarely enough to make a meaningful, lasting change. It is also important to understand what stops people from making recommended behavioural changes. SBCC campaign messaging should carefully address these factors with clear communications that support, encourage and enable behaviour change to take place.
The creative agency will develop campaign messages based on the IYCF behaviour prioritised in the planning phase. While multiple messages may be integrated into the campaign materials, it can be helpful to have a simplified, singular message that links all the materials together.
A holistic approach to developing effective SBCC campaign messages is called the ‘7Cs of Communication’. The 7Cs can be used help ensure campaign materials are straightforward and meaningful to the audience:
| 7Cs | Description |
|---|---|
| Command attention | Campaign messages, images and design elements are used to make the materials noticeable and memorable. |
| Clarify the message | The campaign message(s) should be clear, simple and easy-to-understand words and phrases. Graphics and images should be used to support how the message is delivered to the audience. |
| Communicate a benefit | Campaign messages should communicate how behaviour change will benefit the audience. |
| Consistency counts | Campaign messages should be consistently repeated across media channels. The same words and images should be used repeatedly to reinforce the message, create recognition and encourage the audience to remember the content. |
| Create trust | Trust and credibility help ensure that the audience will follow and adopt new behaviours. Materials and messages should encourage and support trust in the leading organisation and programme. |
| Cater to the heart and head | Information alone is rarely enough to motivate behaviour change. People act using both facts and emotions. Campaigns should use both facts and emotional triggers to engage the audience and persuade them to make behaviour changes. |
| Call to action | This tells the audience what they should do. It is an important part of clear and persuasive campaign messaging. |