Campaign Environment

Understanding whether an issue is relatively known or unknown and whether there is strong and organised opposition or minimal resistance should inform how you approach your impact campaign.

Use this framework as an exercise to start thinking about your impact campaign:

A fresh issue is unknown to your target audience and there is little or weak opposition. Your film could reveal what is going on, contributing to a sea change in public opinion and your campaign could leverage that new sentiment for meaningful social or policy change.

A familiar issue is known and has little or weak opposition but, for several possible reasons, no action is being taken to address it. (It’s often because audiences simply do not understand what can be done.) Your film could spotlight what is happening and the impact campaign could pick up the reins and point audiences in the direction of effective action to be taken.

A hidden issue is unknown to your target audience, likely due to strong and organised oppositional forces that are covering up or denying what is happening. Your film will investigate the issue and shine a light on the truth and your impact campaign will use the film to expose the issue to broader and strategic audiences and, again, point audiences in the direction of effective action to be taken.

An entrenched issue is known AND there is strong opposition to your film and to your campaign. You don’t need to raise awareness; if your film has succeeded in telling a new story, your impact campaign can generate wider support for those who have been pushing for change — and perhaps enable them to overcome the impasse.