In C4C, messaging is defined as a deliberate act where a sender formulates and conveys a message to a recipient, aiming to induce changes in their attitudes or behavior. This article will primarily focus on campaigns, a major output of effective messaging, and how we use thorough research to develop a compelling narrative as the main “meat” of our campaigns, ensuring our messaging resonates and achieves its desired impact.

Effective strategies always start from strong theory of change

A theory of change in essence is a detailed, evidence-based plan that shows how a program or project is supposed to get to its desired results. Think of it like a roadmap that guides everything from the initial planning to the ultimate end goal. At its core, it breaks down the problem we’re trying to solve, sets a clear and measurable long-term goal.

This framework maps out the logical flow of events, from what we put in and what we do, to the short-term, intermediate, and long-term results, showing the expected path to change. A theory of change lets everyone involved look at the logic behind a project, spot any potential gaps, and make the program design stronger.

A campaign represents a purposeful action designed to change a situation by influencing the behavior of specific population segments. But how exactly can a campaign bring about situational change? We lay the mechanism out by using a framework called the theory of change

Two elements that must be established first in any strategy are "where we are now" and "where we are going."

We start from "where we are going", by picturing the ideal world the campaign will bring. This should be derived from the vision of the organization that runs the campaign and the objectives of its program.

• A vision describes an ideal situation that an organization or program can achieve over the long term, or even within a lifetime. Examples of visions include "eliminating the negative impacts of climate change," "nurturing democracy," or "realizing social justice for girls."

• Objectives describe the desired state the organization wants to achieve within 12-18 months. Objectives must meet SMART criteria (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound).

To answer "where we are now," we need a baseline related to facts about the behavior, sentiments, and opinions of the people or groups we aim to influence. Our research provides this comprehensive overview of the situation and the people involved. We can also supplement this data by extrapolating from additional sources or utilizing proxies.

Using the “where we are going” statement, we describe what “solved” looks like by listing:

• What observable changes will indicate the problem has been solved?

• What aspects will no longer be visible once the problem is resolved?

We work backward from the desired outcome to construct a causal pathway, reaching the baseline of root cause(s) linked to current behaviors within specific population segments. The campaign outcome represents the necessary behavioral shift directly resulting from the campaign (though likely not immediate), and the subsequent desired impacts.

Here’s an example of the theory of change for our anti-deforestation campaign in 2019, entitled “Golongan Hutan”:

Deciding the route we want to partake now that we have the roadmap

A good strategy can always be elaborated in one sentence. If we can’t make it clear with fewer words, it is possible that we may not have a good strategy yet. To help writing this sentence, we use a simple framework we internally call the “GET-WHO-TO-BY” framework. The framework follows:

• GET + the short description of the campaign target

• WHO + the summary of the From column that highlights what stands in between

• TO + the campaign outcome

• BY + the summary of the chosen approach.

To fill the GET section, we have to decide who the campaign targets should be. These can be people that we want to engage in certain behaviors, or people who might be able to influence them. For instance, campaigns targeting behavioral changes in children may need to focus on their parents.

Then, we explain who our target audience is — not just in terms of demographics, but more importantly, what they think, say, feel, and do about the issue we’re campaigning for. We use an Empathy Map to help us find the right insights. All the data and information we gather from our initial research serve as material to complete this map. This decision aligns directly with the “where we are now” part of the strategy, as the people we want to influence will always be part of the subjects of our research.

We then use several different frameworks or ways of thinking to select the factors in the Empathy Map that will become the focus of our campaign. We can also set aside factors in the Empathy Map that relate to access or infrastructure, as these are usually beyond our control.

After choosing the framework and focusing on the key factors in the Empathy Map, we fill out the From–To Table. We make sure the “From” column contains concrete and specific statements, as if we could hear the thoughts and feelings of our target audience. This is an example from one of the public campaigns done by the UK Health Ministry, This Girl Can.

With this. we can decide what to write in the “WHO” and “TO” sections of the strategy, making our next step to be finding what to write in the “BY”. Or in other words, deciding the chosen approach.

We employ a blend of behavioral science theories to determine our chosen approach. This framework acts as a lens, providing various explanations for why our target audience has not yet adopted desired behaviors. It helps us understand why people often fail to do what they know is beneficial or continue behaviors they know are harmful.

Additionally, we use Moral Foundation Theory (MFT) to explain how group values and social identity influence a community's steadfast opinions and resistance to changing their beliefs.

Most Indonesians tend to be conservative. However, many social campaigns use narratives that primarily appeal to liberal audiences, focusing on concepts like human rights, justice, equality, and harm reduction. In contrast, conservatives prioritize duty, obligation, patriotism, nationalism, tradition, order, and purity. Therefore, campaigns must reframe issues using moral foundations that resonate more with these conservative values so we don’t alienate the majority of our audience.

Articulate the strategy creatively to reach the desired response

In communication, our main task is to find the best match between stimuli and responses. When we write our strategy, we define the responses we want from our campaign targets. The next step is to develop the stimuli that will trigger those responses. These stimuli express our chosen approach and must share a unifying theme, not merely visual similarities. If writing the strategy is an exercise in analytical thinking, turning it into stimuli is an exercise in creative thinking. That’s why we use terms like “creative idea” or “campaign idea,” alongside “creative articulation” or “campaign theme.”

Campaign outputs are often pre-tested when there's uncertainty about the target audience's response to the creative articulation and its execution. This may be due to insufficient baseline data during strategy development, or a belief that the creative articulation could be overly complex or sensitive for the target audience.

Messaging have to come with accountability

The key question in every campaign is: how do we know if our campaign is successful? To answer this, we need measurable parameters. Without clear metrics, it’s impossible to assess whether our strategy and creative articulation are truly influencing behavior, attitudes, or perceptions in the way we intend. Measurement ensures that our efforts are accountable and evidence-based, not just aspirational.

In the advertising world, practitioners often use a model known as the marketing funnel — a framework that describes the stages consumers go through, from awareness to action. We adapt this concept to the context of social change. Instead of focusing on product sales or brand loyalty, we use the funnel to understand how individuals move from being aware of a social issue, to caring about it, to finally taking meaningful action.

By applying the funnel to social campaigns, we can track progress across each stage and identify where the biggest gaps lie. For example, a campaign might succeed in raising awareness but fail to encourage behavioral change. Recognizing this helps us refine our messaging, strengthen our stimuli, and adjust our strategies to better engage the audience. Ultimately, using this adapted funnel gives us a structured, evidence-driven way to evaluate the real impact of our communication efforts.