CPWF Branding and Identity Strategyg y gy

Michael Victor, Communication Coordinator, CPWF and Keens, 

Basin Leaders Meeting with the Knowledge Management team, Vientiane, 22. Jan. 2011

CPWF Brand Strategy

20 January 2011

Contents

01 Research Component 02 Findings & Analysis03 Strategic Platform

Research Component

This presentation is a culmination of two-stage research exercise, comprising a photo-ethnography and an online survey,

i d t b K d th Ch ll P W t d carried out by Keen and the Challenge Program on Water and Food’s Knowledge Management team to support the refinement of the Program’s communications strategy, visual identity and communications guidelinescommunications guidelines.

Keen communication strategists carried out an analysis, drawing from the research data looking for key points, trends in drawing from the research data looking for key points, trends in the data, and relationships in the data within and between thevarious studies and various groups of research subjects.

Findings & Analysis

What the Program is:g

A People-Centric Endeavour

*See Notes

Comments from the photo-ethnography on the people centric approach of the Programthe people-centric approach of the Program

“People are central to what we are trying to accomplish through People are central to what we are trying to accomplish through the CPWF’’

“(The Program) has to contribute to the providing of safe solutions, targeting on the most vulnerable stakeholders’’

“To keep clearly a focus on the young generations’’To keep clearly a focus on the young generations

The Program’s Greatest Impact:

At the Basin Level

Comments from the online survey on the importance of basin le el acti itiesimportance of basin-level activities

“The specifics of each basin ensure that this is ‘unit’ where The specifics of each basin ensure that this is unit where impact can best be achieved’’

“Although a basin-level approach is ambitious, it is the scale at which we can best work with people to solve problems’’p p p

Where the Program has struggled:

Global LevelGlobal Level

Comments from the online survey on the limited global impact of the Programlimited global impact of the Program

“Uneven global recognition’’

“Pretty much invisible with a few exceptions’’

“Limited capacities’’

“Many donors see us differently than some other more ‘institutional’ players’’

Comments from online survey on the problems facing the Program’s communicationsfacing the Program s communications

“Huge, wide-ranging and g , g gcomplex issues’’

“Multiple actors and stakeholders and audiences’’

“Lack of strategic and gsystematic sharing’’

“Too technical documents not Too technical documents not readable by policymakers and the general public’’

Strategic Platform

The Strategic Platform envisions the way forward for the Program brand specifying the creation of guidelines for a consistent identity within the larger framework of other CG research programs and institutes

A People-Centric Endeavour

Despite its scientific-oriented core, the CPWF is a people-oriented program with the greatest impact in the communities that it works for and with Rather than communities that it works for and with. Rather than projecting the identity of an analytic and dispassionate scientific endeavor, the Program needs to adapt communications guidelines to showcase an image as a communications guidelines to showcase an image as a provider of sustainable solutions to address the challenging concerns of vulnerable communities and ecosystems through partnerships with various vital stakeholders.

Thus the communications and visual strategy can play a gy p ystrong emphasis on people-centric photography in the design guidelines, or a more ‘humanistic’ visual tone through color, typography and graphics, etc.

A Connector

The Program’s current and continued success lies in its ability to forge successful partnerships with a vast and complex network of players working in water and food systems.

The communications and identity guidelines should highlight this notion of building bridges and enhancing connectivity.

Distinct Basin IdentitiesWith a distinct geographic and cultural location, each basin

should embrace a distinct identity under the overall aegis of the Program.

A distinct identity should: i) Embody the geographic and/or cultural character of each

b i hil tti ti l/ th i / b i l basin while cutting across national/ethnic/sub-regional boundaries within them.

ii) Take the form of a specific graphic/symbol/figure unique to each destination; alternative visual systems (color, etc.) may each destination; alternative visual systems (color, etc.) may be explored if needed.

The CPWF will conduct a brainstorming session with basin grepresentatives and the results of this will be shared with Keen to support their development of a system for the basins.

*Notes

Resilience and adaptability to assist communities to adapt, transform or persist within a changing environment

Improving how water is governed and managed more efficiently, equitably and sustainably