Visibility for Addressing Environmental and Climate Change challenges through Improved Forest Management in Jamaica
2019 - 2022
Visibility for Addressing Environmental and Climate Change challenges through Improved Forest Management in Jamaica (IFMJ) was a communication and visibility contract implemented by Landell Mills from 2019-2022. The aim of the project was to highlight the positive impact of EU development assistance for the Jamaican forestry sector.
The contract was implemented by Landell Mills, through the partnership between the EU and the Forestry Department of the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation (MEGJC). The key objectives were to:
- Increase awareness of the EU, the actions and achievements of the IFMJ, and the partnership between the EU and the Government of Jamaica.
- Launch and build awareness of the actions and achievements of the forestry sector and success stories in Jamaica, within communities living in forest-dependent areas.
The main activities of the contract were the development of a visibility plan and the implementation of communication activities.
Highlighted EU action within forestry
Covered past and current action in Jamaica
10% rise in forestry conservation awareness
Within the population of Jamaica
30% increase in knowledge of forestry issues
Within the local media in Jamaica
Strategic communications
The visibility plan included strategic and targeted communication activities, and the identification of tactics to reach target groups. Activities spanned radio, TV, social media, and print and outdoor advertising.
Under the contract, awareness campaigns linked local EU-funded projects with key global issues and the EU’s wider agenda. The campaigns included activities targeting Jamaican youth, rural communities, and indigenous people; and were implemented around COP26, the International Day of Forests, Earth Day 2022, and International Mangroves Conservation Day. They showcased the work of local EU conservation and forestry-focused projects and increased overall awareness and participation of target audiences in activities related to forest conservation, protection, and management.
Content related to the campaigns, including news articles, was posted on the EU’s Instagram, Twitter (now X), and Facebook profiles; and visibility and awareness content was published on both the EU and the Forestry Department’s websites. As a result of these campaigns, 10% of the Jamaican population had increased awareness of forestry conservation and protection, and EU support to efforts for IFMJ.
A major national level campaign was rolled out around COP26 to connect the contract with the global climate change mandate. The COP26 multimedia awareness campaign was implemented via print, radio, television, and social media to align with wider EU environmental and public diplomacy messaging. Communications and visibility awareness materials such as branded banners themed around EU projects and COP26 were displayed at various events or in a strategic location in the country, such as the North-South Highway, to increase regional awareness among communities where media and internet penetration might be low.
Animated public service announcement for TV on forest conservation, part of the COP26 visibility campaign
Communication and visibility activities
Landell Mills implemented a range of communication and visibility activities under the contract, in strict collaboration with the Forestry Department and the EU Delegation. These included:
- development and implementation of mini social media campaigns in relation to Earth Day,
- virtually engaging approximately 120 students across Jamaica around forest conservation between 2019 and 2021, and
- running a tree-planting activity at the Constant Spring Primary School.
Earth Day forest conservation and climate change facts for the EU and Forestry Department social media profiles
Event management
Landell Mills assisted with the coordination and execution of public relations events related to the contract, attending regular consultation meetings with the EUD and Forestry Department. Landell Mills coordinated all events alongside the Forestry Department’s PR & Corporate Communications Branch, and the Press & Information Office of the EU Delegation in Jamaica.
Visibility tours were implemented around the International Day of Forests, COP26, Earth Day, and International Mangroves Conservation Day, which directly engaged with the target audiences of the contract and gave them an opportunity to share their stories.
Part of the campaign for the International Day of Forests
Copywriting, graphic design, and print production
Landell Mills designed communication materials to reach target audiences at national, regional, and local level. A project logo was developed for use on t-shirts, floor decals, videos, and social media posts. T-shirts were printed for students and community groups, and a set of eight floor decals was procured for the Constant Spring Primary School to leave lasting messages around forest conservation and climate change.
EU awareness campaign implemented in broadsheet traditional media
Media relations
Landell Mills cultivated a strong media network of journalists in Jamaica, and the contract gained wide coverage across print, radio, and television. The media were invited to cover contract events, sent press releases, and invited on select tours to educate and inform.
For example, Landell Mills organised a video launch for the EU-funded Cockpit County Awareness Campaign, which was presented at a media breakfast and shared with TV outlets, social networks, websites, and partners and stakeholders. This event increased media and target audience understanding of the EU-Jamaica partnership, developed a stronger relationship with the media, and increased media coverage of forestry issues that the EU has invested in.
Part of the campaign for the International Day of Forests