Development communications

Whether print media, word-of-mouth, or digital interactive technology is the right option for a given target audience, ICF can mobilize its in-house creative team and global network of partners to produce effective development communications. Expectations for communications—especially on-line and social media tools—are constantly evolving and ICF can work with clients to address more interactivity, a multi-language user experience, mobile responsiveness, and compliance issues.

Social media continues to alter people’s expectations for the timeliness and relevance of the information they receive and is a vital channel for engagement and action on global development issues. ICF demonstrated its expertise on the challenges of using social media to disseminate global health and development information—and measuring its effectiveness--through its work with the Johns Hopkins University Center for Communications on the Social Media for Health and Development Global Health eLearning Center Course.  

At the global, regional, and local levels, ICF is engaging stakeholders by facilitating conversations and decisions to lead to shared understanding and achievement of development goals. ICF’s technical assistance to support stakeholder engagement and decision-making has included organizing key initiatives including:  

• COP21 momentum-building in Mexico City—to help develop a collective approach and increase synergies between participating groups in the fight against climate change—and in Rio de Janeiro—presenting climate solutions to the public and hosting a conference of world experts,  
• “Together for a New Mali,” an international, high-level donor conference aimed at mobilizing and coordinating support for the country’s post-war development efforts, and 
• The Asia Low Emission Development Strategy (LEDS) Partnership—a voluntary, multi-sector network active in designing, promoting, and implementing green growth in Asia 

ICF helps clients implement communications activities to build awareness and change behavior around health and social issues—such as fighting infectious diseases, resolving environmental issues, supporting women’s empowerment, or reducing carbon footprints. Even more importantly, we help clients monitor communications campaigns to measure their effectiveness and make adjustments. Our subject-matter and communications experts bring understanding of what works in different countries and support the global shift toward more digitally-engaging outreach. 

ICF helped the MEASURE Evaluation consortium re-imagine its website to provide easier access to information on pressing health topics, including HIV and AIDS, malaria, health systems strengthening, and health informatics. 

Campaigns in Africa demonstrate our understanding of how to work effectively across cultural and socio-economic boundaries to address topics from protection of biodiversity to building sustainable communities. In Zambia, ICF helped build the capacity of institutions—both governmental and nongovernmental—to measure the effectiveness of health promotion campaigns across such topics as HIV, family planning, maternal and child health, nutrition, and malaria. Rigorous evaluation of communications campaigns have shown a strong correlation to positive changes in behavior and attitudes.