CREATING Overview Getting Ready to Create Creative Briefs Effective Messages Drafting Materials and Activities Concept Testing, Reviews and Pretesting Finalizing Designs and Getting Ready for Production

Developing communication products combines science and art: Science to create concepts, visuals, and text based on analysis of the situation (step 1): the people, culture, existing policies and programs, active organizations and available communication channels. Art to the creation of products which evoke emotion, motivate audiences and fit within the communication strategy (step 2) Getting ready to Create

CREATING Graphic: The Third Step of a Planning Process for SBCC- Creating

Understanding context and refining communication strategy; What the audiences already know about the issue What could motivate them to act What skills would they need to act Prevailing norms, attitudes and believes that place them at risk Barriers to their knowledge and practice of change Concerns that inhibit action Learning styles and media preferences Literacy and language abilities Research Gaps

CREATING WORKSHEET: Inventory of Existing Materials ; pages 4,5,9- 14: Materials/ activities developed in the past Ways in which we might adapt or complement what is already developed: Interpersonal Community-based Mass Media

Five parts to a creative briefs: Goal and selected audience for the materials Desired changes, barriers, and communication objectives Message brief Key content and tone Media Mix and other creative considerations Creative Briefs

Overview of Creative Brief Template 1. Goal and Audience Overall aim of the activity Selected audience/s 2. Changes, barriers, and communication objective Desired changes Barriers Communication objectives 3. Message brief The key promise The support statement A call to action Lasting impression Perception of someone involved in the change 4. Key content and tone Key content to communication in this material Tone for this material 5. How this material or activity fits the mix and other creative considerations How this material complements or is supported by other materials or activities in the mix Other creative considerations and cost.

8 Tips for message tone; Emotional appeal geared towards people who are indifferent towards the topic Logical appeal is geared more to opinion leaders Straight forward presentation of facts is often more effective for message recall than emotional appeal. Humor is most effective with messages that are already familiar to people, like “use of condoms”. Effective messages

Entertaining, engaging, humorous, or dramatic messages are more likely to succeed Acknowledging opposing views is effective when the audience is either resistant or initially opposed to the message’s position, when the audience is highly educated Effective messages Cont’d

10 Effective messages cont’d Guidelines for Effective Communication 1. Command attention Does the message stand out? Does your audience think so? Give thought to color and fonts, images music etc. 2. Clarify the message Is the message simple and direct? 3. Communicate a benefit What will the audience get for taking action? 4. Consistency counts Materials and activities convey the same message and become mutually supportive 5. Cater to the heart and head Is it better to appeal to the audience’s emotions, intellect or both? 6. Create trust Does your information come from a source? 7. Call to action What do you want the audience to do after seeing the communication?

CREATING Basic Principles of Message Development: Keep it simple Know (and involve) your audience (early on) Invite the audience to “fill the blank” and reach your conclusion on their own Present a solution

Drafting Materials and Activities Tips while doing first draft: Present one message per illustration Limit the number of concepts per material Make material interactive whenever possible Leave plenty of empty space Arrange messages in a way that is most logical to the audience Use picture illustrations to supplement text Choose lettering that is clear and easy to read

Concept testing comes before investing time in fully drafting materials A review by partners and gatekeepers after drafts of materials Pretests and field tests with audience members after drafts of materials Concept Testing, Reviews and Pretesting

14 Checklist: quality messages and Materials Are messages accurate? Are messages and materials consistent? Are messages clear? Are messages and materials relevant to the audience? Are communication channels credible? Are messages and materials appealing? Are messages and materials sensitive to gender differences? Finalizing Designs and Ready for Production

CREATING Example: Draft Production Timeline