Home

Search

Browse

About IPO

Staff

Links

MIXED MEDIA

CREATIVE IDEAS FOR MARKETING, PUBLIC RELATIONS AND WORKING WITH THE MEDIA

BY GERRY ROMANO, CAE

All it takes to set back your efforts is one photo in one publication that is inconsistent with our diversity message.

It the core of a plan that successfully communicates an organization's desire to be diverse and reach diverse audiences is consistency—matching the messages with the practices.

Top management commitment is critical to this effort; however, buy-in at every level is crucial to successful implementation, says Debbera Hayward, director of diversity for the American Red Cross national headquarters, Falls Church, Virginia.

Hayward cites the following preliminary questions that an agency or association must address in composing an internal and external communication plan for diversity.

1. How are we defining diversity?
What makes sense in terms of your agency and its mission? There is no universal definition of diversity. Each agency must decide what social and cultural identifies—such as race, ethnicity, gender, and age—to include in the diversity effort. This definition must be consistency communicated through all agency media.

2. What audiences are we trying to reach—internally and externally?
You may need to develop messages and strategies for each key audience to ensure that you reach all major stakeholders.

3. What messages do we want to convey?
To create buy-in at every level and with every audience, it is important that you convey the benefits of achieving diversity. The "what's in it for me" approach helps build commitment to the effort.

4. How can we best reach key audiences?
It is important to use multiple strategies and approaches—publications, and Internet, meetings, and other devices.

Working from the responses to these questions, keep the following principles in mind:

First impressions an lasting ones.
Regardless of how inclusive your definition of diversity is, remember that the most obvious types of diversity—race, gender, and age—give first impressions about the sincerity of your commitment. Make sure your intentions are visible.

A picture is worth a thousand words.
All it takes to set back your efforts is one photo in one publication that is inconsistent with our diversity message. Take opportunities to reinforce your diversity effort by using a variety of occasions to convey your message. For example, run "diverse" photos in publications even when the focus is not on diversity issues.

People disagree about diversity.
Anticipate the mixed messages you'll receive while implementing your diversity plan. Some people will think you are going overboard—running too many diversity-awareness pieces. Others may think that the

44 / Illinois Parks and Recreation

diversity effort is "dead" and that not enough information is being provided. Integrating diversity concepts in all your agency materials can help create a balance.

Bottom-line links are essential.
Your communication plan must show how diversity affects the business of your agency—your potential users are changing, becoming more diverse; so must the agency. Diversity for diversity's sake won't succeed, but diversity to ensure continued market share and a competitive edge will.

Promoting Diversity in Publications
Following are pointers for incorporating diversity into the visual and verbal messages of materials.

Examine your concepts for bias.
Consider whether your ideas will translate cross-culturally. For example, a past American Red Cross slogan, "Give the gift of life," sent a clear message in English, but failed to reach other audiences as effectively when translated.

Speak the language of those you are trying to reach.
Use culturally inclusive images and symbols. You may need to address both ethnic and cultural language barriers, providing translation of concepts both ways.

Go that extra mile for real inclusiveness.
Seek out contributions of writing, photos, and illustrations from the very communities you're trying to reach. Run both culturally specific and nonspecific visuals.

From Jack Welch, chief executive officer at General Electric, in noting two guiding principles that can apply in communicating diversity:

"Control your destiny or someone else will," and "Don't manage—lead." 

GERRY ROMANO. CAE
is editor of Communication News, a monthly newsletter of the American Society of Association Executives. This article is excerpted and reprinted with permission of the American Society of Association Executives, 1575 1 St., N.W., Washington, DC 20005-1168; 1996-97, ASAE, 202.626.2723: www.asaenet.org.

March/April 1997 / 45