Convergence is passionate about social marketing and the significance strategic campaigns can have on influencing public policy and modifying public behaviour.
Erin Jamieson heads up the company’s social marketing division. She recently completed an Advanced Social Marketing paper through Massey University and is up to date with recent academic thinking in this field. Before the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion was adopted in 1996, giving health promotion international recognition, it was widely understood that well executed social marketing campaigns made a difference in the health and non-government organisation sector. Changing people’s behaviour is not an easy task but by applying the principles of social marketing, target audiences can adopt health oriented behaviours and practices.
Convergence has been involved in some successful campaigns. In 2009 Erin Jamieson was seconded to the Canterbury DHB to work with the communications team on a programme to educate the wider community about the impact of Swine Flu. This comprehensive project was multi-faceted and involved risk analysis, internal and external communications, extensive community relations and dealing with a multitude of other stakeholders including local and central government organisations. In 2010 the communications team won the inaugural PRINZ Crystal Clear Literacy Award for its work and was also highly commended in the government / quasi-government category.
In 2007 Convergence was approached by the Otago and Southland District Health Boards to assist with a public campaign to help secure the ‘yes’ vote on the issue of adding fluoride to water supplies in Southland, Waitaki, Clutha and Central Otago. The four district councils had agreed to hold referenda on fluoridation in tandem with the 2007 local government elections. Despite the weight of research showing it is a safe and effective method of improving oral health at a public health level, fluoridation is a contentious subject. After conducting research on past national and international campaigns to determine best practice, Erin Jamieson supported by other Convergence team members recommended implementing a social marketing campaign. The key elements involved extensive efforts at delivering a ‘grass roots’ campaign in each community involved in the referenda. Convergence identified local influentials who could be potential advocates for fluoride as well as health professionals who were contacted for their support and asked to attend public meetings and speak to the local media. We also developed a Vote Fluoride brand for both DHBs, established a website and wrote briefing papers for local government and other key influentials. Grassroots tactics working in tandem with a comprehensive media relations programme resulted in a ‘yes’ vote for two districts and a ‘no’ vote for two. This was a good result as the referenda process tends to favour opposing-fluoridation outcomes.
Based on the success of this project, Convergence was approached by the New Zealand School and Community Dental Society and is now advising this organisation. We have also recently developed a three-year promotional strategy for the NZ Association of Orthodontists designed to educate mothers of young and teenage children nationally about the difference between orthodontic services provided by dentists and those provided by specialist orthodontists.
As part of the national Meningococcal B vaccination programme in 2005, Canterbury DHB called upon Convergence to develop a local communications campaign in support of the target of immunising 90 per cent of the 122,000 children and youth aged 6 weeks to 19 years in Canterbury. We worked with the Canterbury DHB’s project management team writing a comprehensive strategy that was submitted as part of the overall project implementation plan and approved by the Ministry of Health. The strategy included proactive and reactive media relations, a comprehensive risk and issues management assessment and separate plans for youth, Pacific Island and Maori and the primary care sector. We briefed senior DHB staff and the Canterbury Medical Officer of Health on key issues and in preparation for media interviews, arranged community meetings and toured Ministry of Health spokesman Perry Bisman (father of high profile MenzB victim Charlotte) to key community meetings and media briefings. Convergence also worked closely with the schools team, assisting them with potential issues and media management. The successful implementation of the programme was noted as one of the Canterbury DHB’s significant successes in its 2005/06 Annual Plan.
Convergence has also worked to raise the profile of the Christchurch Women’s Refuge, The Family Help Trust and RYDAA (a not for profit organisation which has developed a programme to help educate young people about road safety).