Pacific Business Strategic Communications And Stakeholder Engagement

Methodology 

A flexible and adaptable project management and implementation approach was employed to successfully deliver the agreed scope of work. For example, within one week of project commencement, it was agreed that the ‘one half-day discovery workshop’ would be delivered as three separate sessions to best group and accommodate DFAT’s key stakeholders.

contentgroup’s CEO David Pembroke used their evidence-based best practice ‘Strategic Communications and Stakeholder Engagement Framework’ to guide all workshop discussions.

The workshops were delivered virtually to ensure participation from key stakeholders dialling in from across and outside Australia.

Each workshop comprised a mix of representatives from the following groups:

• DFAT’s Office of the Pacific and corporate teams
• Other Australian Government Departments and Agencies such as Austrade and the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment
• High Commissioners and officers on-the-ground at DFAT posts in Pacific Island countries
• Contractors working in partnership with DFAT to deliver its business programs in the Pacific team leaders responsible for implementing relevant Pacific initiatives such as PHAMA Plus.

The in-depth workshop discussions revealed the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in the Economics, Trade and Private Sector Engagement team’s communications and engagement framework, practices, processes and capabilities.

They helped determine the breadth and depth of work needed to improve DFAT’s communication approach as well as its effectiveness, for engaging with audiences in Australia and the Pacific.

Insights gained from stakeholder consultations as well as recommendations from contentgroup were compiled and submitted to DFAT in the form of a ‘Strategic Engagement Plan’ in March 2021.

A key takeaway was the need for DFAT to lead a “whole-of-government” approach to the telling of all of Australia’s story in the Pacific (covering stories relevant to all three Pacific Step Up pillars – economic, security and people-to-people relationships).

In May 2021, contentgroup presented its recommendations to the DFAT leadership, ensuring that the immediate focus remained on communicating about Australia’s work under the economic pillar only. This presentation included advice on next steps for continuing the partnership with contentgroup.

Due to internal changes, DFAT advised that the strategic component of work would remain in-house until further notice. In June 2021, contentgroup was re-engaged to continue the delivery of high-quality communication products/assets to help DFAT progress on its engagement goals.

Across an 8-month contract period, contentgroup’s team of content creators (writers, senior editors, graphic designers and videographer) supported DFAT in producing and distributing a range of visually engaging, high-quality, accessible and relevant assets.

Based on the target audience, purpose of communication and the intended channel of distribution, each asset varied in its format, tone of voice and branding.

For example, contentgroup’s editor initially wrote multiple media releases in short turnaround periods to offer surge capacity to DFAT’s Pacific COVID-19 Response Package – Support Unit. These releases aligned with DFAT’s corporate style guidelines and had a ‘formal’ tone of voice. Such outputs differed from the ‘informal’, plain-English, human-interest stories written by contentgroup which were targeted at everyday Australians and needed to share the benefits of Australia’s work in initiatives like PACER Plus.

contentgroup’s designers similarly helped DFAT by applying the Australian Government’s new ‘NATION’ branding to update all PACER Plus web collateral directed at external audiences, while adhering to the DFAT branding for designing new templates aimed at internal government stakeholders/audiences.