Reaching the Outside World

Core Concepts

Working with the Media
Working with the media—first to catch its attention, and second to encourage it to accurately present your messages—requires smart and strategic planning, based on a sound understanding of how the media business works.

Media Development
UNDP strongly supports the development of independent news media as an integral part of its democratic governanace mandate. Globally, regionally and nationally, UNDP contributes to the training of national journalists and to the stregthening of legal and institutional frameworks which allow independent journalism to flourish.

UNDP Web Presence
People worldwide now turn to the Internet as their first source of information. The web can be a cost-effective way of reaching millions of viewers through the click of a mouse.

So You Want to Produce a Publication…
Printed publications can showcase UNDP’s knowledge and research, or promote UNDP’s contributions as a development organization.

Special Events
Special events run the gamut from the commemoration of UN days to award ceremonies to exhibits and conferences.

Public Service Announcements
Public service announcements, or PSAs, are the public-sector equivalent of commercial advertising. Corporate PSAs can raise the public profile of UNDP by reminding people of the organization’s essential role in global and national development.

Advocating for UNDP
Speeches and presentations by UNDP experts are excellent opportunities to inform and advocate for UNDP because they often involve a captive audience with an interest in the topic at hand. Goodwill Ambassadors, as celebrity figures with broad and sometimes global audiences, may be able to reach constituents that would otherwise remain outside of UNDP’s reach.

Social Media
Social media channels are a public relations tool for the UNDP, working to help cultivate the image of the UNDP globally and across local levels, but it is also a channel to allow the UNDP to listen and learn from the public in order to help solutions to be generated across the globe.

Public Inquiries
Responding promptly and completely to correspondence, whether from partners and constituents or the general public, is part of regularly maintaining UNDP’s reputation as a trusted and knowledgeable development organization.

How to Conduct a Campaign
A campaign uses a planned series of activities to educate people or, when the intent is advocacy, persuade them to change their minds or their actions.

Showcasing Partnerships
Forming and maintaining partnerships is essential to achieving UNDP’s mission of helping to unleash capacities for human development. Strategic communications on a variety of fronts can help strengthen these links and the development programmes that result.

Writing for UNDP
As a public organization, UNDP should communicate in language that is concise and easy to understand. This requires plain words, simpler sentences and well-structured analysis. Compelling human interest stories about how UNDP’s work changes the lives of ordinary people around the world in a positive and sustainable way helps the organization communicate its results better.

Translations
Translation is important as part of the multinational face of UNDP. All major global documents are translated into English, French and Spanish. Wherever possible, translation projects related to a country or regional should tap local expertise.

Graphic Design and Applying the UNDP Logo
Strong visual communication should complement all forms of written and spoken communications. Whether you are putting together a press release or a report, attractive visuals draw attention and reinforce key messages.

Photography
Effective photography is essential to conveying UNDP's message via images in publications and on the web. There are a number of photography resources available depending on a project budget such as online photo databases, photo stock agencies and freelance photographers.

Video and Documentaries
Television channels have increasingly sought to shave their costs by using video ‘b-roll’ prepared by third parties for cut-away shots in their programmes. UNDP can help satisfy this demand through providing footage from country offices.

Procurement for Communications
Almost every UNDP office has core communications staff, supplemented by short-term editors, designers, photographers and media relations experts for special projects. Both staff and contractors will ideally have experience in both communications and development. Serving in emergencies may require additional crisis management skills.

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Communications Toolkit
UNDP Intranet