What next for government communications?

The recent departure of Messrs Cain and Cummings offers the government an opportunity to reset its communications activity. There is considerable room for improvement.  The nation is going through a crisis the like of which has been unknown in our lifetimes.

Campaigns have their place but communicating effectively in a crisis is a much more complex and subtle art than that. At the very least, the new Downing Street communications team must remember that successful messaging in a crisis requires ‘5Cs’ – namely:

• Concern

• Clarity

• Control

• Confidence

• Competence

It is arguably the case that not all 5 requirements have been met.

Various models have been established for use in times such as these: the US CDC’s CERC model, which was created with health emergencies, such as pandemics, in mind, is one such.  https://emergency.cdc.gov/cerc/index.asp  Crises develop and do not remain static, thus it is always important to remember that communication during a crisis must be modulated with regard to the particular phase the crisis is in. The CERC manual describes core risk and emergency communication principles and how they apply to each phase of a crisis. Appropriate tools are provided for each phase. In any crisis, it is vital to remember how people’s psychology is affected – how do they process information during this time, cope with risk, mental uncertainty, helplessness and hopelessness? These factors are essential for crafting messaging that reach their target audiences effectively – and for building credibility and trust. 

The UK is still in the acute phase of the pandemic, which requires the government to provide ongoing communications, helping the public to understand ongoing risks, quelling misperceptions, providing us with as much reassurance as reasonably possible. We are living in a climate of fear, which cannot surely be intended?  As Winter’s tentacles start to grip the nation, fear, loneliness and alienation from each other could just prove to be as damaging as the virus itself. Effective, direct communication - and much more of it - will be absolutely imperative to help combat this.

Regular press conferences serve a useful purpose but they are not enough on their own. The long-awaited daily briefing that the government’s new press secretary, Allegra Stratton, will bring is an opportunity for the government to demonstrate the clarity, control, confidence and competence of its messaging. We all need a strong dose of optimism too.