Campaigns to End Violence against Women and Girls - Virtual ...

� If the audience is highly diverse, what message is likely to speak to
everyone? As a rule, the bigger the audience, the simpler the overarching
message should be. Refine and vary sub-messages that are drawn from and
connect back to the overarching message so as to speak effectively to different
segments of your audience. For instance, if the overarching message is “Break
the Silence on Domestic Violence”, a sub-message targeted specifically at victims
of abuse could urge them to call a helpline, while another targeted at neighbours
in a community could urge them to report incidents they hear or witness.
� Is the message being presented in the right way? Since words can be
perceived differently by different people depending on the context, it is important
to consider how a worded message is actually being presented. A message might
for example, use language that resonates with a young audience, yet offends an
older one. Or a message might suggest one thing to one group and something
else to another. Like in the point above, an overarching message can have submessages
that are presented in different ways.
� Can the message be conveyed to its target audience within 20 seconds?
Evidence suggests that longer messages are less effective.
� Do all key message points fit well into the overall communications
strategy? Whether or not there is just one overarching message, or several submessages,
all of this messaging must serve the campaign’s purpose and its
goals. To avoid confusion or conflicting messages, and ensure coherence, decide
on the core set of message points that must be part of all communications, and
consistently apply these in all campaign planning, materials and activities.
ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN MESSAGES ON VAW
The following checklist by UNIFEM (Making a Difference: Strategic Communications to
End Violence Against Women, 2003) summarizes key ethical issues that must be
remembered in designing messages to end violence against women and girls.
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Campaigns December 2011