This chapter will help you to develop tactics and strategies for generating awareness around a particular problem, issue, or controversy.

Market logics ask us to employ communicative a wide range of ethos, pathos, and/or logos-based appeals when generating awareness or interest around a particular topic. One expert in written communication, Marshal McLuhan, argues that “the medium is the message.” Consider the ways we might respond rhetorically and responsibly to market logics that expect writers to use potentially manipulative, unethical, and/or misleading messaging in service of turning a profit. By what criteria should we judge a message’s truthfulness, accuracy, and persuasiveness?

Genres You Might Practice

• fact sheet
• brochure
• flyer
• poster
• infographic

Contemporary Conversations

In the following examples, consider and critique the tactics used to generate awareness about a particular subject or issue of critical import.

1. Misleading graphs
2. “In reality, the very vague DHS fact sheet only reported that over 270 people with criminal histories were “along the caravan route”; it didn’t state those persons were actually part of the caravan itself.” [source: Snopes]
3. “Petco First and Only Major Retailer of Pet Food to Not Sell Food and Treats with Artificial Ingredients” [see their brand standard images for this declaration here]

Professional Writer Spotlight

Below are quotes from our interviews with Evan, Anthony, and Kim each of whom write professionally in for-profit or nonprofit organizations. We don’t necessarily endorse each of their opinions, but we think it’s worthwhile for you to know what actual professional say about how to generate awareness. Their perspectives come from having worked as professional writers in the world for at least the last 12 months or more.

Evan, on brand standards

“Originality, I think is extremely important. We are always looking for new and creative ways to be able to tell our story and to visually represent our story. That being said, we do have a marketing strategy and brand standard, so everything does have a certain look and a feel to it. So, there is some consistency to that.

And I will absolutely say that one of the things that I do, is we called it R and D at NPO, which is rip off and duplicate. So, if we see another organization that does something that is, we think is particularly meaningful piece, we will discuss how can we you know maybe, use that as a best practice and make it our own. I love getting solicitation from Ohio State because a lot of times, whatever Ohio State produces, if I can reproduce it within our brand standards, then you know I’m leveraging OSU’s marketing department, you know for my benefit.”

Anthony, on community strategy

“This being such a large municipality uh, but making sure that people feel like they are included within the branding and with the messaging. And that, you know, they’re not using words that are overly ambitious or could be misconstrued so, but also not be condescending by sticking to really simple kind of, you know, first grade language or something. So. It’s about hitting the right tone in that sense.”

Kim, on design

“For the most part as a communicator, I have basic Photoshop and InDesign skills. I use those software tools certainly, but I leverage graphic designers a lot in my work. We certainly want them to be using those tools to their fullest to be doing things, but we do use a lot of existing templated pieces. A lot of it is the original creation of a template to make something that’s interesting but then also easy to update and easy to repurpose over time. I think a lot of it is balancing creativity and interest and engagement with your audience while also balancing the cost and speed of being able to put out deliverables.”

Tactical Questions

1. How can your team generate awareness through displayable media (e.g. infographics, posters) in a way that regards potential readers as a valuable part of this project’s mission, not just as people who you need to persuade to do something?
2. What expected and unexpected needs might each of your readers have that your design can help to meet or mitigate? What are the consequences of failing to meet readers’ expectations and needs?
3. What barriers, institutions, and/or structures might make it difficult for your team to write for specific readers in a way that does more harm than good (for the community, environment, your team, etc.)? What tactics does your team need to take not just to generate awareness, but also to do so in a way that the facts, data, and evidence you’re mobilizing toward that end are accurate and attributable to their authors?