Topic 2 How to implement successful communication campaigns as local actors for a positive storytelling of migration: an example from the CLARINET project

The Positive Storytelling Kit on Migration for Local Authorities takes readers on a tour of local authorities’ communications campaigns, many of which are highly innovative and inspiring. Its goal is to collect best practices, practical tips, and concrete examples for public administrations to use when launching their own campaigns.

This toolkit focuses on public communication campaigns and is primarily aimed at local governments. However, many CLARINET Award campaigns were primarily run by private organizations in collaboration with or on behalf of municipalities or local governments.

Regarding migration, local governments carry more weight when speaking to citizens and are better placed to convey a message to the public than civil society associations.

However, many local governments lack the resources to undertake a difficult process such as a complex communication campaigns. Collaboration between local governments and civil society has been found to be a winning strategy in developing and implementing innovative public communication campaigns capable of reaching out to citizens in many cases.

The Kit’s heart is the section How to Run a Campaign, which is divided into four main sections that allow for a broad exploration of the most interesting features of successful migration communication campaigns.

Initially, a number of General Principles were examined, which are elements that are common to all campaigns and are relevant regardless of the media platform on which the campaign is developed.

Then, each CLARINET Award category was studied individually to determine some specifics that must be considered when developing campaigns for web and social media, traditional media platforms, and public events.

Each of these sections includes references to other projects and tools, practical tips, and links to campaigns submitted to the CLARINET Award that provide successful examples and can inspire you when creating your own campaign.

General Principles;

Aside from the primary channel chosen, there are several common elements that are required for a successful, high-impact communication campaign. Some are fundamental, while others are only suggestions that can be followed or ignored depending on the circumstances. Different elements can be combined, but not all of them must be included:

• Humor: Humor should not be thought of as a joke, but as a storytelling technique. Using humor in a migration communication campaign is a difficult path to take because it may be perceived as inappropriate and insensitive by many. However, humor can be both a brave choice and a winning strategy for reaching out to a wider audience.
• Migrants as Citizens: Communication campaigns must work to convey a direct message, emphasizing that migrants are new members of the host society, demonstrating to native citizens the importance of adopting a long-term perspective, with the aim of enhancing their inclusion and, thus, making a positive difference to society.
• Storytelling: Storytelling entails creating alternative or counter-narratives to the dominant ones. A counter-narration typically has a short-term frame and is aimed at directly responding to a specific discourse, highlighting its inconsistencies and delegitimizing it; on the other hand, an alternative narration does not simply deconstruct a discourse, but it constructs a completely new representation of the world, providing alternative keys for interpreting a phenomenon with long-term results.
• Migrants as Protagonists: Campaigns that fail to focus on “the auto representation [of migrants], but instead on the idea we have of them, end up repeating a stereotyped and detrimental image of cultural diversity“. For this reason, an effective campaign about migration must involve the main protagonists, migrants themselves. This process can be achieved through a variety of activities such as focus groups, workshops, calls for ideas, and online participation via social media.
• Art: Art can serve two purposes; a) It is an excellent way to engage migrants in meaningful activities while also laying the groundwork for your campaign. b) It is one of the most effective means of arousing your audience’s emotions, which aids in the discovery of common ground between migrants and the host society.

Web and social media platforms are likely to play a larger role in communication campaigns. The publication of free content can be shared in and from a Facebook page, a Twitter account, or an Instagram profile, for example. However, it needs more effort to attract a wider audience and create a successful campaign.

Social media have managed to be on top of any other channel. However, developing a campaign on traditional media may offer advantages that should not be overlooked. Traditional Media, for example, may allow you to reach a larger, more diverse group of people, due to the already established audience of a TV or radio channel.

There is a wide range of campaigns developed through public events, as well as numerous opportunities for innovative and successful campaigns.