Communication and Visibility Plan.pdf

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Communication

and Visibility

Manual for

European Union-funded

Humanitarian Aid Actions

European Commission

Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO)

November 2023

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The Communication and Visibility Manual for European Union-funded Humanitarian Aid actions provides general guidance on the implementation of contractual visibility and communication obligations. The concrete application depends on and may be adapted to the specific circumstances of the individual project. Partner organisations are invited to consult DG ECHO in case of doubt (see Contacts at the end of this document).

Neither the European Commission nor any person acting on behalf of the European Commission is responsible for any use that might be made of the following information.

© European Union, 2023

Reuse is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. The reuse policy of European Commission documents is implemented by Commission Decision 2011/833/EU of 12 December 2011 on the reuse of Commission documents (OJ L 330, 14.12.2011, p. 39).

Communication and Visibility Manual for European Union-funded Humanitarian Aid actions 2 © EU, 2016. Photographer: Peter

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Contents

Why this Manual? ........................ 5 5. Clothing items worn by project staff 1. Programmatic Partnerships

(e.g. T-shirts, field vests, caps)

2. Country-based Pooled Funds

Visibility requirements in the iii. External Communication -

3. Pooled Visibility Funds

e-Single Form ............................... 7 Section 12.1.B .............................14

4. European Humanitarian Response

i. Displaying the European 1. Media Outreach under Section 12.1.B Capacity Operations (EHRC)

Union emblem ...............................8

1.a. Press Releases

ii. Field Visibility - e-Single Form 1.b Interviews Monitoring and final reporting .... 22

Section 12.1.A – Compulsory

1.c Press Conferences

display of EU Humanitarian Aid

Data Protection ........................... 23

Visual identity .......................................9 1.d Media Visits

2. Social Media

1. Building signage

Contact information ................... 24

3. Web Communication

2. Equipment (for e.g. vehicles, water

tanks, containers) 4. Publications

DG ECHO Communication .......... 25

3. Shipments and goods for distribution 5. Photos

as part of the humanitarian response

6. Audio-visual Products

(e.g. blankets, sacks, tents, buckets,

7. Public Events

hygiene kits, debit cards).

iv. Alternative Arrangements ..........19

4. Branding of the operational materials/

outreach materials addresing Above-Standard Visibility –

beneficiaries (e.g. training materials, Section 12.2 ..........................................20

flyers, notebooks, posters)

Special Actions .................................20

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Contents

Designing communication Campaign implementation .............32

campaigns .................................. 27

Plan well in advance .............................32

Involve your ECHO counterparts ........32

Campaign strategy ..........................28

Define your communication objectives Monitoring and evaluation .............33

Define your target audience ...............28

Annexes

Content and style .............................29 Above-Standard

Communication Plan .......................34

EU Branding ......................................30 Checklist for visibility and

communication actions in EU-funded

Media mix and outreach .................31 Humanitarian Aid projects..................36

Invest in the right media mix ..............31

How to plan social media advertising?

Working with social media influencers

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Why this Manual?

Humanitarian Partners receiving EU support have a contractual Partners are required to prepare detailed Communication plans obligation to provide visibility to and communicate about the EU if they opt for “above-standard visibility (ASV)”. When develop- humanitarian assistance they receive. ing these plans, Partners should be in contact with the relevant Regional Information Officer (RIO)2 and consult the document The aim of Partners’ visibility and communication activities about Above-Standard Visibility -- Designing Communication Campaigns, EU-funded projects and actions is to: also attached as an Annex to this document. See below, Above- Standard Visibility. • ensure public awareness of how the EU is helping; The Manual complements existing general guidelines but with a • provide accountability as to where the funding is going; focus on communication on EU humanitarian aid. It does not re- • foster continued strong support for humanitarian aid among place the general guidelines, nor does it alter them. The EC-UN key stakeholders and the general public. guidelines3 remain applicable for UN humanitarian Partners when working with DG ECHO. In case of direct contradiction with this Manual, this Manual takes priority. The same applies to the 2022 For communication to be effective, it must be undertaken in close EU External Actions Manual. cooperation with the EU’s humanitarian Partners and the EU’s Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (henceforth, for the purposes of this document, DG ECHO).

As provided for in the legal basis for EU-funded humanitarian aid actions1 DG ECHO allocates dedicated funds to Partners for them to meet their visibility and communication obligations when re- ceiving EU funds.

The present Manual provides practical guidance and explanations on the implementation of the obligations on visibility and com- munication as set out in the applicable contractual arrangements. The Manual should serve as Partners’ primary source of orienta- tion when planning and implementing the “standard visibility” ac- tivities (Section 12.1.A and Section 12.1.B in the e- Single Form) as part of their EU- funded humanitarian aid action.

1 Council Regulation (EC) 1257/96, Article 4. 2 See list at the end of this document. 2 See list at the end of this document.

3 Currently under revision. 3 Currently under revision.

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Major amendments compared to the previous version of the Manual (issued in December 2021) : DG ECHO has a dedicated and regularly updat-

DedG wECebHsOit eh aosn a v diseibdiilciatyt etdh aatn cdo rmegpulelamrleyn utsp dthaits- Manual. On this website, Partners can find fur- ther explanations, examples and best practic- es. Partners are invited to regularly consult the website for guidance and inspiration:

https://www.dgecho-partners-helpdesk.eu/ visibility

The Partner’s “internal policies or guidelines are to be distinguished from the ‘privileges and immunities’ as foreseen under the HACA article 8 General Conditions.

NOTE

Partners are expected to ensure full compliance with the visibility requirements in accordance with the applicable contractual arrangements and the Humanitarian Partnership Certificate 2021-2027 and with specific visibility require- ments agreed upon in the e-Single Form, which forms an integral part of individual agreements.

Failure to do so may result in the reduction of DG ECHO contribution for breach of substantial con- tractual obligations.

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Visibility requirements

in the e-Single Form

Visibility is covered in the e-Single Form Partners Standard Visibility - Section When filling in the Single Form, all Partners use in order to submit a proposal to DG ECHO must complete Section 12.1, indicating which

12.1 (12.1.A and 12.1.B)

under Section 12 of the Form, with two points: concrete standard visibility activities they are foreseeing under the two mandatory subcat- • 12.1 “standard visibility” [mandatory, All DG ECHO Partners have a contractual ob- egories: A and B. For these standard visibility comprising of both field visibility (12.1.A) ligation to provide standard visibility of the activities, Partners can allocate up to 1% of and external communication (12.1.B)] and EU as a donor. This applies to all types of the project’s budget, calculated on the basis EU-funded humanitarian aid projects. The ob- of the EU’s contribution to the action. • 2.2 “above-standard visibility” (optional). ligation on standard visibility means that DG The formal distinction between the two lies ECHO Partners must ensure EU field visibility To further note: (Section 12.1.A) and communicate about the in the size of the budget allocated, the type of actions proposed by the Partner, and the EU support in their external communication, • When a Partner works through an im- primary audience. (Section 12.1.B) through: plementing partner (IP), it has to ensure that their obligations on visibility and • The prominent display of the EU emblem with communication also apply to the imple- the accompanying text on project sites, relief menting partner(s). items and equipment, as specified in Section • In consortia, all DG ECHO Partners 12.1.A of the Single Form (see below, on the should implement the visibility and display of the EU emblem), AND communication obligations, for exam- ple, by ensuring EU visibility on their • Meaningful and proactive communication individual homepage. towards EU and local audiences throughout the lifecycle of the project with broad dis- semination as specified in Section 12.1.B of the Single Form. All communication should clearly reference and acknowledge EU support. Standard visibility is compulsory for all Partners, unless a derogation for field visibility has been granted (see be- low, Alternative Arrangements).

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i. Displaying the European that the Partner is part of the EU institutions. The EU emblem is to be shown on items Therefore, it is recommended to place the EU such as:

Union emblem

emblem well apart from the partner’s logo. • Building signage (e.g. Partner premises, Visibility and communication activities imple- For actions funded by DG ECHO with a con- health centres, distribution points); mented under Sections 12.1.A and 12.1.B of tribution from a Member State (External As- • Equipment (e.g. vehicles, water tanks, the e- Single Form must acknowledge EU sup- signed Revenue – EAR), where applicable, the containers); port4 and display the European flag (emblem) Partner must acknowledge the support of together with one of the following funding both the European Union and the Member • Shipments and goods for distribution as statements (translated into local languages, State institution providing the EAR. Therefore, part of the humanitarian response (e.g. where appropriate): both the European Union flag and funding blankets, sacks, tents, buckets, hygiene statement, and the logo of the Member State kits, debit cards); • For field visibility under Section 12.1.A, institution providing the EAR, shall be used • Branding of the operational materials/out- “Funded/Co-funded by EU Humanitar- ensuring equal treatment between them in reach materials addressing beneficiaries; ian Aid”; terms of size and visibility. • Clothing items worn by project staff (e.g. • For external communication activities T-shirts, field vests, caps); The EU emblem in field visibility (Section under Section 12.1.B, “Funded/Co-funded by the European Union” 12.1.A of the e-Single Form) For signboards and similar displays, the According to the obligations under Section EU emblem is to be displayed in a way that The EU emblem can be downloaded from the 12.1.A of the e-Single Form, Partners are re- clearly explains the EU’s role as a donor. To Partners’ Website. quired to clearly display the EU as a donor in this end, the EU emblem should be accom- the field. panied by a short explanatory text or a rel- The emblem must remain distinct and sepa- evant joint message on the project. rate and cannot be modified by adding other For safety and security reasons, the text accom- colours, visual marks, brands or text. Apart panying the emblem for field visibility includes For examples on the use of the EU em- from the emblem, no other visual identity or the reference to Humanitarian Aid (which is not blem in field visibility, see Standard Visi- logo may be used to highlight the EU sup- the case for external communication). bility - Section 12.1 (12.1.A and 12.1.B) of port. When displayed in association with oth- this Manual. er logos (e.g. of Partners or sponsors), the EU emblem must be displayed at least as prom- inently and visibly as the other logos. The EU Funded by European Union emblem should not be used in joint logos – Humanitarian Aid logos should remain distinct. Funded by European Union Humanitarian Aid The placement of the EU emblem in external communication, for example on press releas- es, videos etc, should not give the impression Co-funded by European Union Humanitarian Aid 4 Unless otherwise agreed - for international NGOs: Article 17 of the Model Grant Co-funded by Agreement and Annex 5 thereto. For UN: Article 11 of the FAFA and Article 8 of the HACA’s European Union General Conditions. For ICRC: Article 8 of the FFPA and Article 8 of the HACA’s General Humanitarian Aid Conditions. For IFRC: Article 10 of the FFPA and Article 8 of the HACA’s General Conditions

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The EU emblem in external communication Downloading the EU emblem/additional ii. Field Visibility - e-Single (Section 12.1.B of the e-Single Form) information

Form Section 12.1.A –

The EU emblem with the accompanying text in Compulsory display of different languages can be downloaded at the fol-

EU Humanitarian Aid

lowing link: https://www.dgecho-partners-help- desk.eu/visibility/visual-identity-official-logo

Visual identity

The EU emblem on its own (the European flag) As mentioned above, all Partners must com- can be downloaded here: https://europa.eu/ plete Section 12.1, indicating which concrete european-union/about-eu/symbols/flag_en standard visibility activities they are foresee- ing under the two mandatory subcategories: The “Graphics Guide to the European emblem” A and B. For these standard visibility activities, (useful for printing the visual identity) is availa- Partners can allocate up to 1% of the project’s ble at: http://publications.europa.eu/code/en/ budget, calculated on the basis of the EU’s con- en-5000100.htm The EU emblem with the accompanying text tribution to the action. must used when producing material for ex- Operational guidelines for recipients of EU ternal communication, including but not lim- In Section 12.1.A of the e-Single Form, all five funding: The use of the EU emblem in the con- ited to: options5 are selected by default. If they are de- text of EU programmes 2021-2027 selected, the Partner must provide a justifica- • Press releases, press conferences, other tion in the box that will appear automatically at How to refer to the EU media outreach the end of the Section 12.1.A. Moreover, if the implementation of field visibility activities may • Videos In visibility and communication products (press harm the safety and security of any persons in- releases, photo stories, blogs etc), the following • Photos volved in the Action, Partners must introduce a terms should be used in the text: • Human interest stories request for a visibility alternative arrangement • European Union in Section 14.1 – using the drop-down menu • Social media posts (for NGOs) or using free text in Section 14.2 • EU • Events (for IOs). (See also Alternative Arrangements). • Print materials (e.g. brochures, fact- The following can also be used: sheets etc.) If the Partner(s) cannot implement one or • The EU Humanitarian Aid Operations more of the mandatory activities under Section It is accepted that items mentioned under 12.1.A, because it is not planned as part of the • EU Humanitarian Aid Section 12.1.A, appearing on audio-visual Action (i.e. distribution of goods), this needs to material produced under Section 12.1.B, ap- • The Directorate General for European Civil be justified in the text box that appears under ply the visual identity of Section 12.1.A (EU Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations Section 12.1.A with no need for an alternative emblem with accompanying text “Funded/ arrangement under Section 14 of the e-Single Co-funded by European Union Humanitar- Form. Partners will still need to fulfill the obli- ian Aid”). NOTE gations under Section 12.1.B.

The standalone acronym “ECHO” must be avoided. 5 Building signage, Equipment, Shipments and goods for distribution, Branding of

operational material, Clothing items.

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1. Building signage

© UNICEF, 2023 © EU, 2022 © UNHCR, 2022

© Charbel Kosseifi, NRC, 2023 © EU, 2023 © People in need, 2022

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2. Equipment (for e.g. vehicles, water tanks, containers)

© European Union, 2022

© European Union, 2022 © European Union, 2022

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3. Shipments and goods for distribution as part of the humanitarian response (e.g. blankets, sacks, tents, buckets, hygiene kits, debit cards).

© European Union, 2022, photographer: Said Yusuf Warsame

© WFP, 2023 © European Union, 2022 (photographer: Tofiq Babayev)

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4. Branding of the operational materials/outreach 5. Clothing items worn by project staff (e.g. T-shirts, field vests, caps) materials addressing beneficiaries (e.g. training materials, flyers, notebooks, posters)

NOTE

DG ECHO does NOT ask for logos on clothing items worn by final beneficiaries.

A removable “badge” (i.e. Velcro logos) can be used.

© European Union, 2022

© Norwegian Refugee Council, 2020. © Hugh Kinsella Cunningham/Concern Worldwide, 2023

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iii. External Communication - gional Information Officer (see Contacts • Advocacy (i.e., addressing messages to at the end of this document). governments, international organisa-

Section 12.1.B

tions, officials etc.) is not considered ex- • Partners coordinate the planning and im- ternal communication for the purposes of plementation of communication actions In Section 12.1.B of the e-Single Form, the this Manual. with the relevant ECHO Regional Informa- Partner is expected to select at least five tion Officer. • The primary target audience of Partners’ options from the items listed in B1 to B86. communication actions should be identi- In the comments box, the Partner must pro- • Partners ensure that their Communica- fied within the general public in the Euro- vide more details on the selected options tion Officers are aware of what has been pean Union and in third countries where (including B8 “other”, where relevant). For committed to under the communication EU-funded actions are carried out. each Action, the Partner is also asked to obligations in the Single Form (Section provide the scope, timeline, and channels 12.1.A and Section 12.1.B, and where rele- • Always respect and protect the safety and to be used along with the number of people vant, Section 12.2). dignity of beneficiaries. to be reached through the communication • Partners plan out in advance the commu- • As a general guideline, Partners are rec- activities, as well as information on how the nication activities on EU-funded projects ommended to dedicate approximately impact will be measured. It is sufficient to (before the launch of the project), laying 30 percent of the communication budget provide this in several bullet points, such as: out clearly how they intend to put their for the production of material and the re- communication obligations into practice maining 70 percent for dissemination. “6 social media posts in the second trimester of at pre-identified stages throughout the • Partners can look at the Above-Standard the action, posted on the central social media duration of the project and the projected Visibility template for inspiration, even if accounts which have XX followers [YY on X (for- reach of each communication activity. they do not opt for an ASV. merly Twitter), ZZ on Facebook]”. • The messages clearly mention that the • As to the design of communication activ- project is supported by the EU (e.g., Thanks If selecting the option to communicate via ities themselves, there is no one-size-fits- to EU support, XXX people are getting access social media, the Partner should publish at all model. Communication actions must to clean water… or With support from the EU, least two social media posts on their or- always be designed to fit the target au- XXX is helping….). This also applies to social ganisation’s central account, throughout diences, the key messages, the concrete media posts and audio-visual products. the implementation of the project. project, and the capacity of the Partner. • Operational communication, for exam- • In summary: Partners are expected to Communicating in a meaningful way on ple informing beneficiaries about a vac- implement their communication activi- EU-funded project entails, inter alia, that: cination campaign, or about about the ties on EU- funded actions in a meaning- results of a training module is not consid- ful way throughout the project cycle and • Partners appoint a staff member respon- ered part of external communication for not only towards the end of the project. All sible for communication and share the the purposes of this Manual and will not communication should clearly reference latter’s contact details with the ECHO Re- be funded under the visibility and com- and acknowledge EU support. It is only by munication budget. communicating at the beginning, at mean- • Internal trainings for Partners’ staff mem- ingful stages during the implementation, 6 1. Press releases, press conference, other media outreach 2. Videos bers are not considered part of external and then at the closure of the action that 3. Photos communication for the purposes of this communication activities can have the 4. Human interest stories with visuals Manual and will not be funded under the most impact, be most cost-effective and 5. Social media posts 6. Events visibility and communication budget line. are able to show how aid is being given in 7. Print materials (brochures, factsheets, etc) an impartial, needs-based approach. 8. Other

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1. Media Outreach under Section 12.1.B tion Officer, press officer of the EU Delegation). and provide the names of the media organ- The contact person must be approved by ECHO. isations and journalists concerned; 1.a. Press Releases • advise journalists who to contact at DG Partners are also invited to include the follow- ECHO (Regional Information Officer) for A press release can be issued inside the EU ing text at the end of joint press releases: further details. (i.e., by the European Commission) and/or in the country/Region of implementation, as ap- plicable to each specific project. About EU Civil Protection and Humanitari- 1.c Press Conferences an Aid: The European Union and its Member If the Partner opts for issuing a press release, States are among the world’s leading donors Whenever a press conference is organised in the it is recommended that this is issued at the of humanitarian aid. Relief assistance is an context of an EU-funded humanitarian project, the launch and/or the conclusion of the project. expression of European solidarity with people European Commission – through the DG ECHO The press release is to display the EU emblem in need all around the world. It aims to save headquarters, the DG ECHO field office and/or alongside that of the Partner. lives, prevent and alleviate human suffering, the relevant Delegation - must be informed in ad- and safeguard the integrity and human dig- vance and be invited to participate. Partners also The press release text must clearly state that nity of populations affected by disasters and must acknowledge the role of the EU. the project is funded by the European Union. human-induced crises. Through the Direc- Preferably, the text includes tangible figures/ torate General for European Civil Protection 1.d Media Visits examples of the (expected) impact of the and Humanitarian Aid Operations of the Eu- project, such as the number of beneficiaries. ropean Commission, the European Union Media visits to EU-funded projects are eligible Technical language must be avoided (e.g. helps millions of victims of conflict and disas- for funding under the visibility budget of pro- “non-food items”, “WASH”, etc.). ters every year. With headquarters in Brussels jects. For such visits, Partners must ensure that: and a global network of field offices, the EU Where relevant, press releases can include a provides assistance to the most vulnerable • DG ECHO – including the Regional Infor- quote by a EU representative (for example, the people on the basis of humanitarian needs. mation Office - is informed well in advance relevant experts/Head of DG ECHO Office/Head to allow for input and enable efficient and of Delegation in the field or from a DG ECHO effective planning staff member at the headquarters in Brussels). 1.b Interviews • journalists are offered the opportunity to interview a DG ECHO expert in the field Procedure to be followed: This quote will be When speaking to the media on EU-funded provided to the Partner by the Regional Infor- projects, the partner should aim at acknowl- • the EU’s support is visible through panels, mation Officer, in coordination with DG ECHO’s edging the partnership with the European Un- stickers etc. Communication Unit. The Partner must send ion and explain the tangible results achieved • Whenever journalists visit EU-funded pro- the drast press release to the Regional Informa- thanks to EU funding. jects, Partners must ensure that the EU’s tion Officer as early as possible prior to publica- role as the donor is fully acknowledged tion. Quotes by EU representatives must always In emergency situations, if EU funds are en- and explained. be approved by DG ECHO prior to publication, visaged, this fact should also be acknowl- thus more time should be allowed for this. edged in contacts with the media. Partners should: Partners are encouraged to share with DG Press releases may also include the contact ECHO relevant press clippings following an details of a relevant EU representative for fol- • inform the relevant DG ECHO field office in EU-funded media visit. low-up questions by media (Regional Informa- advance about media interest in the project

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2. Social Media • Use DG ECHO-related hashtags, for example #EUHumanitar- ianAid, #EUSolidarity and other thematic ones (for example, Social media communication is a high-impact way of creating visibility #EUCivilProtection, #TeamEurope, #EducationNoMatter- among the general public and specific target audiences. It is recommend- What, #TogetherOneStepAhead, #ZeroHunger, #NotATar- ed, therefore, that it forms an integral part of the communication strategy get, #WithRefugees. on any project and complements all other planned visibility actions. DG ECHO encourages the use of content from DG ECHO’s website and social media platforms by Partners, provided that DG ECHO Partners are expected to make full use of their social media channels and is appropriately credited/tagged. incorporate DG ECHO- related posts throughout the lifecycle of projects to provide followers with an interactive or “real- time” experience.
3. Web Communication To maximise impact, Partners are expected to: Ongoing EU-funded projects should be mentioned on the Partners’ • Publish visually attractive content from EU-funded projects, websites, acknowledging the EU’s role as a donor and highlighting the targeted to a non-expert audience of EU citizens on a continual partnership aspect. basis. To fulfil the visibility requirements, these posts should specify EU assistance and be posted on accounts with sizable followings; The EU emblem and a link to DG ECHO’s website must appear on the Partner’s website (for example, on the page listing Partners or donors, • Publish at least two social media posts on their organisation’s on the page describing financing, or on pages dedicated to projects central account, throughout the implementation of the project; financed by the EU). • Tag the accounts below AND refer to DG ECHO as the EU or the European Union; The URL address of DG ECHO’s website is https://civil-protection-hu- • Like/follow/subscribe/share the following platforms: manitarian-aid.ec.europa.eu

Costs related to the general development of Partners’ websites are https://www.facebook.com/ec.humanitarian.aid (tag: @ec.hu- not eligible for funding. The costs of new project-specific webpages manitarian.aid) will be supported only if these pages are part of a wider joint commu- nication action. It is recommended to always produce an English ver- sion of the project webpages, in addition to other relevant languages. https://twitter.com/eu_echo (tag: @eu_echo)

https://www.instagram.com/eu_echo/ (tag: @eu_echo)

NOTE

https://www.flickr.com/photos/eu_echo

Project-specific websites concerning EU-funded Actions cannot https://www.youtube.com/user/HumanitarianAidECHO contain Partner’s own fundraising appeals (unless specifically en- visaged in the project agreement). https://civil-protection-humanitarian-aid.ec.europa.eu/ news-stories/ stories_en

https://eu-civil-protection-humanitarian-aid.exposure.co

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4. Publications 5. Photos is based on visuals, such as web-based or social media communication plans, photo exhibitions, The EU emblem should generally be reproduced Partners are encouraged to promote photos photo-books and similar instances. wherever the Partner’s logo is also displayed of the project on social media with a clear ac- in reports, brochures, leaflets, flyers, posters, knowledgement of the EU partnership. Photos taken by an EU-funded professional pho- newsletters and other publications, printed or tographer are to be sent to DG ECHO in digital electronic, relating to EU-funded projects. While the project is running, Partners are also format (preferably containing at least 5 million invited to send to DG ECHO (through the Re- pixels), through the Regional Information Officer. When a Partner’s publication features an EU-fund- gional Information Officer) high-resolution pho- ed humanitarian project, this fact should be ac- tos in the form of photo stories – i.e. a series of

NOTE

knowledged in the text. 6-9 photos with short explanatory captions. The photos should also be accompanied by an ex- At photo exhibitions, the EU should be clearly Example: planatory sheet with background information identified as the donor in all advertisements, pro- (date, country, city/region, project, name and grammes, invitations, websites, blogs, brochures, “The project, funded/co-funded by the EU, role of the person on the photo if applicable). leaflets, etc., and at the venue of the event. supports 10,000 refugees living in temporary DG ECHO reserves the right to edit the text of camps…” the provided photo captions to fit the editorial Where possible, the message below should be style of its website and social media platforms. added next to the EU emblem: The role of the EU as a donor should be clear- The name of the organisation/person that owns the ly mentioned in the text/story. DG ECHO may About EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid: copyright should always be included to allow DG also be able to provide stories/input for partner The European Union and its Member States are ECHO to ensure that the photos are properly credited. publications and encourages the use of quotes among the world’s leading donors of humanitar- by its field experts or other representatives (in ian aid. Relief assistance is an expression of Eu- The Partner is obliged to comply with the ap- coordination with DG ECHO’s Regional Informa- ropean solidarity with people in need all around plicable EU and local legislation on copyright tion Officer). the world. It aims to save lives, prevent and alle- and image rights. viate human suffering, and safeguard the integ- When space allows, and if the Partner includes rity and human dignity of populations affected The Partner is obliged to comply with Data Pro- a presentation box on its own organisation, a by disasters and human-induced crises. Through tection rules as established by the contract in box with the following text should be included: the Directorate General for European Civil Pro- place with the European Commission. Please tection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, the refer to Chapter 4 – Data Protection. “Funded by the European Union. Views and European Union helps millions of victims of con- opinions expressed are however those of the flict and disasters every year. With headquarters When taking photographs of people their writ- author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect in Brussels and a global network of field offices, ten consent must be secured. For minors, the those of the European Union or [name of the the EU provides …assistance to the most vulner- written consent of a parent or guardian must granting authority]. Neither the European Un- able people on the basis of humanitarian needs. also be secured. ion nor the granting authority can be held re- sponsible for them.” The visibility and communication budget can be used to employ professional photographers to The European Commission is entitled If in doubt of the wording, please consult DG cover EU-funded humanitarian operations only © to use or reproduce photos made by ECHO: the contact details are provided at the within the framework of a specific communica- a Partner under a grant or delega- end of this document. tion project where visuals are needed or which tion agreement.

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6. Audio-visual Products • Make the video edit as short as possible – Upon completion of the production: DG ECHO fisteen-second videos are the most popu- must be informed of the actual distribution of The aim of audio-visual products is to highlight lar on Facebook. Aim for one-minute pro- the video. If the video incorporates music, DG the tangible impact of EU-funded humanitar- ductions maximum. ECHO will be made aware of the title, author ian aid. The European Union’s role must be • Tell simple, engaging stories with attrac- and type of license. Whenever feasible, a signed clearly emphasised by integrating it into the tive footage. Try to make them relatable permission of the person(s) featured in the vid- story line and by including, for instance: to your audience. The video should give eo should also be submitted to DG ECHO. people a small idea of what we do, not • images of items displaying the EU emblem; have it explained to them in detail. Never Include the EU’s emblem/branding in the first 10 seconds of the video, not only as a final slide • images of a DG ECHO expert at work in use any jargon or acronyms. in the end - the vast majority of viewers do not the field; • You only have 2-3 seconds to catch peo- watch that far. “Branding” can use a colour EU • an interview with the relevant EU Com- ple’s attention on social media with your emblem at the top corner that disappears aster missioner, a senior official or a DG ECHO video. Use it well and start with the most a few seconds, people dressed in EU clothes, etc. expert in the field. exciting part of the story (not with gen- eral footage or long explanatory text). Partners should always refer to the EU or For social media videos, the format, duration Statistically, videos showing a person in the European Union in external communica- and editing must be in line with the current social the first couple of seconds retain viewers tion (including videos), never as ECHO. media dissemination standards and best practic- best. You could also start with an intrigu- es (i.e. one minute or less duration, square or ver- ing emotional soundbite. Videos must display the EU emblem with the ac- tical format, edited for watching without sound, companying text “Funded/Co-funded by the EU” with large text/subtitles, no acronyms, etc.) For more information on technical require- at the end. ments and advice on how to optimise the Some hints on producing videos for production of audio-visual material, the Part- The narrative should also mention the EU early social media: ners are invited to contact the Regional In- on, for example: formation Officer. • Always produce the videos in square or “Thanks to EU funding/support, XXX has managed vertical format when producing videos for In general, the following steps must be fol- to help XXX people affected by floods.” Facebook, Instagram and X. It is best to lowed when producing audio-visual material: film the videos with this format in mind. • Produce social media videos to be watched Audio-visual productions on humanitarian Before production: submit to the DG ECHO with sound OFF. 85% of viewers watch actions funded by the EU are eligible for visi- Regional Information Officer (1) a drast story- without turning the sound on. bility funding. DG ECHO does not finance au- board describing the themes to be covered in dio-visual productions whose sole purpose is • When using text in the video, make the text the video and (2) information on the intended to promote another organisation. big, bold, simple and as brief as possible. means of dissemination, target audience and • Try to give your video a cinematic look to estimates of potential outreach. grab attention. The European Commission is enti- During production: submit a drast of the vid- tled to use or reproduce, wholly or in • Always use subtitles when there is © eo before finalising the audio-visual project part, audio-visual productions made speech. Make the subtitles big and easy and at a point where it is still possible to make by a Partner under a grant or dele- to read (and, if necessary, simplify what changes based on DG ECHO’s comments. gation agreement. is said to make it easier to read).

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7. Public Events

The organisation of public events – such as conferences, roundtables, infor- mation events or artistic performances – is eligible for funding, subject to pri- or agreement with DG ECHO on the specific terms and messages. Whenever an event is planned, DG ECHO must be consulted at the preparation stage.

EU visibility must be ensured before and during the event: on invita- tions, programmes, banners and display boards, etc. and in the local language, where relevant.

Please also refer to Chapter 4 below – Data Protection.

iv. Alternative Arrangements

Alternative arrangements from communication and visibility obligations are possible only in cases defined in the relevant legal acts7. Therefore, they are granted only in case of safety and security concerns.

All requests for alternative arrangements should be duly justified and targeted. An alternative arrangement on field visibility activities (listed in Section 12.1.A e-Single Form) does not automatically grant a der- ogation for implementing external communication activities (listed in Section 12.1.B e-Single Form).

Alternative arrangements based on Partners’ “internal policies or guidelines” will not be accepted.

When Partners are not in a position to implement one or more field visibility activity(ies) they must provide a justification and request, when necessary, an alternative arrangement in Section 14 e- Single Form. Please see additional information in the following Sections.

Alternative Arrangements under Section 12.1.A of the e-Single Form8

Alternative Arrangements under Section 12.1.B of the e-Single Form

7 For international NGOs: Article 17 of the Model Grant Agreement and Annex 5 thereto. For UN: Article 11 of the FAFA and All justifications for choosing fewer than the obligatory five options should be Article 8 of the HACA’s General Conditions. For ICRC: Article 8 of the FFPA and Article 8 of the HACA’s General Conditions. For IFRC: Article 10 of the FFPA and Article 8 of the HACA’s General Conditions. detailed in the text box at the end of the section. 8 Please note that Member State Specialised Agencies (MSSA) work with DG ECHO either on the basis of the MGA (NGOs) or of the HACA (International Organisations). The table above applies to them accordingly.

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Above-Standard Visibility – Actions on a larger scale may also foresee Special Actions

joint dissemination at key stages of the pro-

Section 12.2

ject’s implementation.

1. Programmatic Partnerships In addition to Standard Visibility, Partners For above-standard actions, DG ECHO can can opt for "Above-Standard Visibility (ASV)" provide a budget that goes beyond the The Programmatic Partnership (PP) model under Section 12.2 of the e-Single Form. The ceiling of 1% of the direct eligible costs of aims at developing multi-annual programmes Above-Standard Visibility option is intended the action. To this end, a separate com- to support strategic geographic priorities of for Partners planning to go beyond the com- munication plan and budget, including a shared interest between DG ECHO and the munication activities foreseen under Section breakdown of the main activities, must be Partner (or consortium of Partners). This al- 12.1.B, complementing the latter. submitted and approved by DG ECHO be- lows the PP to put in place activities requiring a longer timeframe such as local Partners’ ca- fore the contract is signed. The plan must ASV actions are more than merely putting extra be inserted as an Annex to the Single Form. pacity building, or promoting/scaling up inno- resources into the standard communication The ASV communication plan template is at- vative policy approaches. approach. ASV plans should not only focus on tached to this Manual as an Annex and it is the quantitative output, but also – and more also available on the visibility section of the All Partners in a PP are bound by the 1% ceil- importantly – on creativity, quality and impact. DG ECHO Partners' Website. ing, calculated on the basis of the EU’s con- tribution, for their Standard Visibility activities The main target audience of an ASV plan should The partner must consult with the Regional throughout the implementation of the action. be identified within the European public. The Information Officer and obtain DG ECHO’s In their communication activities, Partners purpose of such communication actions is to: approval for the ASV communication plan are expected to: prior to the signature of the contract. The • raise awareness of humanitarian issues and communication plan’s feasibility and pro- • target first and foremost the EU public, on how EU aid, particularly among defined audiences jected impact will also be taken into account EU funding is helping those most vulnerable; in the EU Member States (also as a matter when deciding on its approval. • plan actions in a manner that spans the of accountability to EU taxpayers), and Programmatic Partnership; • showcase the tangible results of EU-fund- Partners can also consult the document • communicate in a meaningful manner ed humanitarian aid. Above-standard visi- Above-Standard Visibility -- Designing Com- throughout the lifecycle of the project; bility could, for example, include: munication Campaigns, attached as an An- • establish links to DG ECHO’s and the Eu- nex to this Manual. ropean Commission’s priority sectors of • audio-visual productions (including so- action9, where relevant; cial media versions); • communicate extensively on output; • media visits to project sites; • take advantage of relevant events to com- • paid advertising and/or content place- municate on the PP. ment in the media (print, audio-visual, online) and on social media; • billboards and other outdoors advertis- Given the multi-year nature of the Program- ing campaigns in the EU; matic Partnerships, Partners are requested to • exhibitions or other types of events with a already have some ideas at the outset of the significant outreach to the European pub- programme of how to structure communica- lic and media. 9 As presented, inter alia, in the annual Humanitarian Implementation Plans.

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tion activities in a year-on-year continuum, throughout the project 3. Pooled Visibility Funds implementation. While these ideas can be presented as a package in the first year of the programme, the annual communication plans Certain Partners have an agreement with DG ECHO on the allo- will be finalised at the beginning of each programme year. The cation of a part of their Standard Visibility budget for other com- plans will be finalised in consultation with the Regional Information munication actions/campaigns. These are ad hoc arrangements, Officer and DG ECHO’s Communication Unit, which will approve the and do not form part of this Manual. annual plans. 4. European Humanitarian Response Capacity Opera- Partners in a PP are encouraged to opt for Above-Standard Visibility, tions (EHRC) although this is not compulsory. Before deciding whether to apply for Above-Standard Visibility, Partners should consider the feasibili- The visibility and communication requirements for European Hu- ty of their proposed action. manitarian Response Capacity operations follow the same princi- ples as the guidance given to humanitarian aid partner organisa- 2. Country-based Pooled Funds tions receiving EU funding.

Country-based Pooled Funds (CBPFs) are multi-donor Funds established DG ECHO Partners and their implementing Partners (if any) con- by the United Nations. tributing to the development or deployment of capacities under the EHRC are bound by the standard visibility obligations, as de- DG ECHO is engaged in selected CBPFs, including the South Sudan scribed in the e-Single Form. In their communication activities, Humanitarian Fund and the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund. these capacities will be referred to as “EU capacities”. See also Euro- pean Humanitarian Response Capacity. Due the nature of the CBPFs, where field visibility is limited “due to the nature of the action”, Partners implementing such funds should focus Entities benefitting from EHRC operations (humanitarian organisa- on external communication under Section 12.1.B (for example, short tions, Member States, destination countries and others) are en- films linking donor contributions to the impact of humanitarian action, couraged to support DG ECHO in raising public awareness on the or joint social media campaigns targeting a European audience). EHRC and the use of the EU budget.

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Monitoring and final reporting

The items indicated in Sections 12.1.A and 12.1.B of the e-Single Form at the proposal stage will serve as a benchmark when monitoring and

NOTE

reporting on whether a project’s standard visibility requirements are met or not. Any deviations from the activities indicated in the e-Single • In general, expenses pertaining to the Partner’s internal Form must be explained and justified. Failure to fully comply with the communication needs (such as training, internal manuals, visibility and communication requirements may result in the reduction telephone costs, general website maintenance, etc.) are not of the DG ECHO contribution for breach of substantial obligations. eligible for funding under the visibility budget line. In addition to the final report, for Above-Standard Visibility actions • During the implementation of a project, Partners are strongly the Partner should also provide DG ECHO with regular updates dur- encouraged to inform and share with DG ECHO significant ing the course of the action. The final report must reflect the ap- communication products on their EU-funded humanitarian Action. proved communication plan. This can be done by the Partners by contacting DG ECHO’s Regional Information Officer. This will enable relevant joint communication (e.g. via social media), resulting in further dissemination of the When reporting to DG ECHO, the Partner should provide supporting Partner’s message, and facilitate monitoring. evidence of field visibility (Section 12.1.A of the e-Single Form) and for each of the options ticked under Section 12.1.B. This includes:

• filling in a standardised checklist (attached); • providing photos of relevant items (EU emblem on vehicles, supplies, signboards, etc.), copies of links to press releases and press clippings, references to relevant publications, links to project-related website posts, links to social media posts where the partner provided visibility to the EU.

The amount of supporting evidence provided does not need to be exhaustive. However, it must demonstrate in a credible way that the activities committed to in the e-Single Form have been implement- ed as an integral part of the project and at different stages.

In addition, Partners are required to indicate, in quantifiable terms, the reach and engagement of their communication actions.

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Data Protection

Partners must ensure an appropriate protection of personal data. in Europe (for instance or Partners’ website, social media or in the press at the behest of the Partner concerned). In such cases, the For NGOs, the Partner must process personal data in compliance GDPR would in principle apply (on top of the above- mentioned con- with Article 15.2 of the General Conditions of the Model Grant Agree- tractual clauses). It is therefore crucial for Partners to ensure either ment. Partners must comply with Regulation 2016/679 the General that such photos, videos and other audio-visual products do not dis- Data Protection Regulation [GDPR] (where the conditions of applica- play personal data (that is, natural persons featured in the photo, tion of the latter are met - for a practical example, see below). video or audio-visual product are non-identifiable – as they are only seen from the back or from afar), or, if they do, that such display For UN agencies, the Partner must process personal data in com- and any related data processing is done in compliance with data pliance with Article 7, Annex II (General Conditions) of the Human- protection rules. In practical terms, this would imply in principle that itarian Aid Contribution Agreement. requesting written consent from the natural persons whose person- al data is being processed. For ICRC, the Partner must process personal data in compliance with Article 7 of the Annex II (General Conditions) of the Annex Partners’ attention is also drawn to the fact that the Commission is in I (“Humanitarian Aid Contribution Agreement”) of the Financial principle licensed under the applicable contractual agreements to use Framework Partnership Agreement. photos, videos and other audio-visual products made or produced in the context of an EU-funded humanitarian aid action. The Commis- For IFRC, the Partner must process personal data in compliance sion may be willing to do so as part of its efforts to raise awareness with Article 7, Annex II (General Conditions) to the Financial Frame- of the public at large about EU humanitarian aid. As the Commission work Partnership Agreement. may only do in in compliance with the EU Data Protection Regulation (2018/1725), it is essential for Partners to be able to warrant to the Photos, videos or any audio-visual products made or produced by Commission that any photos, videos or any other audio-visual prod- Partners in connection with an EU-funded humanitarian aid action ucts to be (re-)used by the Commission have been made or produced will most likely also be published or reproduced or otherwise used in full respect of the rights of the natural persons concerned.

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Contact information

Partners are welcome to contact the DG ECHO Communication Unit and/or the Regional Information Officer for questions related to vis- ibility/communication activities at any stage. For major communica- tion projects, you are strongly advised to contact DG ECHO before the proposal is finalised.

Please do not hesitate to call the Secretariat of DG ECHO’s Commu- nication Unit and ask for the Communication Officer responsible for your project’s country or thematic area:

At headquarters in Brussels

Tel: (+32 2) 295 44 00

Email: echo-comm-sec@ec.europa.eu

Website: http://ec.europa.eu/echo/en

At regional level

DG ECHO has a Regional Information Officer (RIO) based in each of its Regional Offices (see list attached).

Do not hesitate to contact the RIO at any stage of your communi- cation project. For the list and contact details of all DG ECHO field offices, please refer to: https://www.dgecho-partners-helpdesk.eu/ visibility/list-of-contacts

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DG ECHO Communication

Regional Information officers 2023-2027

Amman Bangkok

Daniele PAGANI Garineh ANTABLIAN Lisa HASTERT

Regional Information Officer Information and Communication Assistant Regional Information Officer

daniele.pagani@echofield.eu garineh.ANTABLIAN@ec.europa.eu lisa.Hastert@echofield.eu

+962 6 460 7000 +962 6 460 7050 +66 2 305 27 68 +962 79 557 0203 +962 77 9233849 +66 89 811 5481

Jacques DAVID Mallika PANORAT

Regional Information Officer Information and Communication Assistant (Ukraine, Southern Europe, Neighbourhood region, Yemen) mallika.Panorat@echofield.eu

Jacques.david@echofield.eu +66 2 305 27 86 +66 81 841 57 00 +962 777 444 650

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Panama Dakar Nairobi

Hilaire AVRIL Anouk DELAFORTRIE Peter BIRO

Regional Information Officer Regional Information Officer Regional Information Officer

hilaire.Avril@echofield.eu anouk.Delafortrie@echofield.eu peter.Biro@echofield.eu

+507 309 6850 +221 33 869 60 92 +254 20 297 2301 +507 6330 9572 +221 77 740 92 17 +254 722 791 604

Ruth SILVA Rokhaya MBAYE Faustine CHEPCHIRCHIR

Information and Communication Assistant Information and Communication Assistant Information and Communication Assistant

ruth.Silva@echofield.eu rokhaya.Mbaye@echofield.eu faustine.Chepchirchir@echofield.eu

+507 309 6850 +221 33 869 80 10 +254 709 362 2302 +507 6749 7407 +221 78 638 10 87 +254 726 427 917

Kyiv

Ivanna BEDEI

Information and Communication Assistant

ivanna.BEDEI@echofield.eu

+38 044 390 80 10 +38 0955523488

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Designing

communication

campaigns

Above Standard Visibility (ASV) for EU-funded

Humanitarian Aid Actions

This document serves as an annex to the Communication and Visibility Manual for European Union-funded Humanitarian Aid Actions. It provides general guidance on the design of so-called “Above Standard Visibility (ASV)” actions. The purpose of such ASV actions is to raise awareness of humanitarian issues particularly among defined au- diences in the EU Member States, show the tangible results of EU-funded humanitarian aid, and trigger public engagement and endorsement.

ASV actions are more than merely putting extra resources into the standard communi- cation approach. ASV plans should not only focus on the quantitative output, but also – and more importantly – on creativity, quality and impact.

The concrete application of this guidance manual depends on and may be adapted to the specific circumstances of the individual project. Partner organisations are invited to consult DG ECHO in case of doubt.

Neither the European Commission nor any person acting on behalf of the Commission is responsible for use which might be made of the following information. Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged.

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Campaign strategy

Define your communication objectives Define your target audience

• Clearly describe what you want to achieve with the • Clearly describe whom you want to reach: country/region; communication campaign in a few objectives: e.g. awareness, socio-demographic profile; knowledge, media consumption and engagement, conversion. general interests. This will allow your media planner to select the right media and (for social media) target the right audience. • Define key performance indicators for each specific objective: Be aware that your message and campaign style may need to be impressions, clicks, content share; views to a website; tailored to the country (culture, knowledge, public opinion, etc.). subscriptions/new likes to a page, etc. • ASV communication campaigns should target the public at large • The main objective of ASV campaigns is to raise public in (parts of) the EU. Communication towards local audiences awareness of and support for the EU and its humanitarian work. outside Europe, or advocacy initiatives towards specific Specify how the campaign contributes to this objective and how stakeholders are not the priority of such campaigns. it complements other communication actions (by your own organisation, by the Commission). • Do not “preach to the converted” (own networks, existing audiences on social media channels, the Brussels Bubble). Give priority to people with a neutral or fairly positive attitude towards the EU, humanitarian aid, international solidarity, climate change and environment, etc.

It is essential to set clear and measurable targets on reach and expected outcome (SMART).

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Content and style

Develop a clear, personal and visual message. An EU-funded cam- • On social media, use creative assets in a smart way – photos, paign does not have to be institutional. Do not shy away from crea- videos, GIFs are a key item of a post for the user. They attract tive, disruptive or out-of-the box ideas. attention and provide more information (at least contextu- ally) compared to your text. Are the creative assets of a high • Drast your messages for the selected audience, not for your col- quality, consistent, to the point? Is the audience receptive leagues and Partners. Make sure that there is a common un- to them? derstanding of the terminology used. Focus on human interest, • In particular, for campaigns in the humanitarian sphere, emotional stories that show how EU aid has helped your organ- readers/viewers expect a call-to- action. Make it clear what isation assist those in need, without making the narrative or the you expect from the audience: to like or share the cam- tone-of-voice too sentimental. paign, visit a website for more information, take part in a • Create a “persona” (a random member of the target audience, creative challenge. lacking your background and expertise) in your mind and ask yourself: would this person understand fully what this is about in a few seconds? Just because it make sense to you, it will not necessarily make sense to someone else. • Develop or adapt your messages in the languages of your audi- ence. Avoid complex narratives and acronyms. If drasting your messages originally in English/French, avoid idioms that may not translate well.

The KISS principle:

Recent audience research by DG ECHO and its campaign Partners has shown that awareness and knowledge about EU Humanitarian Aid is relatively low. Hence the importance of keeping the message clear and to-the-point, and framing it into the basic narrative of “EU as leading humanitarian donor”.

In other words: respect the KISS principle, and “Keep it Short and Simple”

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EU Branding

As shown in various evaluation reports, EU citizens hardly associate • For videos, show the emblem throughout the whole clip (not the EU – seen as a legislative and financing bureaucracy – with hu- only in the final billboard). manitarian aid actions. Clear and visible references to the EU are not • For co-branded campaigns (with one or more Partners), clearly only a formal requirement for EU-funded actions; they are essential dissociate the different emblems or logos. for clear, understandable and transparent communication with the target audience.

The “European Union” (in full, not the “European Commission”, “ECHO”, “EU Humanitarian Aid” or other institutional references) should be clearly mentioned in the headline and/or body copy of the campaign.

In addition to this, the official emblem (with “European Union” or “Funded/Co-funded by the European Union” underneath or next to it), should be part of the graphic or audio-visual design.

How to position the EU emblem? The official emblem is available in all official EU languages here: https://www.dgecho-partners-helpdesk.eu/visibility/visual-identi- • Make the emblem large enough, and link it visually to the main ty-official-logo message of the campaign. This way, it will be clear that the EU is (one of) the sender(s) of the message (and not just an institu- • Emblem + “Funded by the European Union” tional sponsor). • Emblem + “European Union” (simplified visual, may be more appropriate for posters, video clips)

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Media mix and outreach

Invest in the right media mix to its launch. Use all tools at your disposal – tagging Partners on social media can very well be accompanied by the outdated but more direct tool of making a phone call! Keeping your Partners • Reserve 70% of your total campaign budget for distribution in the loop also adds legitimacy to your campaign. Ready- made (media buying and outreach). For smaller-scale actions, where campaign toolkits, shared ahead of the campaign launch, can creative costs cannot be covered with 30% of the budget, the ease the uptake and multiplication by your Partners. dissemination plan should include a well-prepared approach to generate “earned” publicity. • Try to integrate the campaign in a broader mix of communication actions (e.g. press communication on a related news topic, • Be realistic but ambitious in social media spending. Social media costs addressing media in the targeted country or region). depend on the selected country, the channel, the purpose (mere reach, repetitive messaging, activation), the time of the year, etc. • Given the limitations of most ASV campaign budgets, we recommend going for a narrow audience segmentation and a limited duration of the campaign; instead of scattered media How to plan social media advertising? spending with very limited impact, a more focused approach (e.g. one or two countries/regions, one week) can be more successful. • The Commission’s average target for social media buying is to limit the CPM (cost per thousand impressions) to €3.5 - 4.5, and to limit the cost per video view to maximum €0.05. Working with social media influencers • When you promote videos on social media or online channels Celebrities and social media influencers can help amplify a message (Youtube, pre-roll on third websites, Facebook/Instagram), try to towards and through their well-defined, loyal audiences. get a completion rate (viewers watching the clip until the end) of However, DG ECHO recommends that every such collaboration is minimum 25%; so-called bumper ads (non-skippable 6-seconds) carefully studied in advance and done on a pro-bono basis, to avoid are the best format for this any reputational risks related to • Click-through rates of 0.2%-0.3% are realistic for awareness campaigns on humanitarian topics. • associating the European Union with inadequate portfolios, visual DG ECHO’s social media team is at your disposal to review proposals content and political views of the personalities (e.g. excessive of social media advertising plans, and to give feedback on the esti- nudity, vulgar language, open criticism of EU policies, etc.); mated targets. For more detailed indicators, please see the table at • remunerating influencers for expressing their support for and the end of this document. encouraging solidarity with vulnerable people, which may be seen as unethical. • Having that said, in case of projects involving travel, it is considered • Look for all opportunities of generating earned media so to reasonable to reimburse the cost of transport and accommodation increase the multiplication of the campaign. Identify possible borne by the celebrities or influencers invited to take part. Partners and ensure they are aware of your campaign even prior

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Campaign implementation

Plan well in advance Involve your ECHO counterparts

• For large-scale campaigns, start the preparations well in advance • Discuss the ASV with the Regional Information Officer (RIO), and and consider hiring a creative agency, with experience in working DG ECHO’s Headquarters where relevant, at the proposal stage. with similar projects to help you with innovative and creative ide- By the time the contract is signed, an ASV has to be agreed with as and reaching your goals. the RIO and uploaded to the system (APPEL). • While large-scale actions should run for a limited time for best • Consult the RIO (with realistic deadlines) throughout the results, please note that your communication should cover the planning of the action, especially for major milestones such whole span of the project. This means that in addition to a large as concept, dissemination strategy, narrative. Consult on the -scale action such as a campaign, you have to ensure continuous content before it goes live. visibility of the project on your social media channels throughout • Update the RIO throughout and aster the major action about the the lifespan of the project. results reached. Provide a final report. • Your campaign does not take place in a vacuum – always be aware • DG ECHO can support the campaign on its social media of what is happening in the world around you. This is useful not channels. Also, for major campaigns, ECHO may liaise with only for identifying opportunities, but also risks. Look for the right the Representations in targeted EU Member States to inform news “hooks” to launch and run the campaign: international days, about the action. For major events or interviews and depending specific national events in the target country, newsworthy summits on availability, ECHO may propose the involvement of an EU or conferences, announcements of new policy initiatives, etc. representative. Also, ECHO may provide high-level quotes for • Avoid competition with other humanitarian campaign initiatives. the press releases. If possible, coordinate the launch of your campaigns with other Partners. By sharing your plans well in advance with the Regional Information Officer and Headquarters, you can avoid a situation where another major campaign is running in the same period and you may decide to anticipate/ postpone the action.

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Monitoring and evaluation

Regularly monitor the performance of your campaign; in particular on- Measure the results (during and aster the campaign) in a structured line channels and social media allow you to see the immediate impact and professional way (related to the SMART indicators you set for and correct where needed. Do not be afraid to experiment. Despite each objective, mentioned above). best practices and knowledge, what performs better is osten what no one expects. Play with different creative assets, messages, audiences. Report in detail about the overall outcome, and assess to what ex- tent the initial objectives were met. Report also on your own “les- Monitor the engagement with the audience on social media, and sons learnt” throughout the campaigning process. prepare a good community management approach. Prepare defen- sives (in the languages of the campaign) to respond quickly to obvi- ous comments or criticism.

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Above-Standard Communication Plan

The partner is invited to explain the proposed standard and "above-standard" visibility and communication action(s) with total funding. In the Single Form, please indi- cate in the text boxes under Sections 12.1A (Visibility) and 12.1B (Communication) that the communication plan contains information on all visibility and communication activities, and the overall budget.

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[Seite 35]

For more guidance on the design of large-scale communication actions, please consult https://www.dgecho-partners-helpdesk.eu/reference-documents-visibility

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[Seite 36]

Checklist for visibility and

communication actions in

EU-funded Humanitarian Aid projects

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[Seite 37]

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