This step involves utilizing the Science and Art to develop concepts, branding, materials, mass media, messages, stories and participatory processes. The end products should be guided by the Strategy:
Message Development crafting effective messages that are consistent and relevant for intended audience(s) and can be used in all channels and tools.
Material Design involves the development of interventions.
Concept testing explores reactions to general ideas with stakeholders and audiences representatives and should be followed by pre-testing.
Pre-testing is a detailed testing of almost complete materials, messages, media and processes with stakeholders and audiences.
Media and Distribution planning gets the message out and should be developed to maximize coverage.
How to Test Creative Concepts
Concept testing is the process of sharing creative concepts with the intended audience to get their feedback and identify the best idea before designing materials (See the How to Develop a Creative Concept guide). Results from creative concept testing help the creative team to revise concepts, drop ones that do not resonate well with the audience and identify the ones the audience likes best. Sometimes none of the concepts is appropriate for the audience. In these cases, the creative team returns to brainstorming, keeping in mind lessons learned from the concept tests.
Materials are a primary means by which health programs deliver social and behavior change communication (SBCC) messages. There are many types of SBCC materials, including printed brochures, the script for a television advertisement, a guide for facilitating a group discussion, a Facebook page or an Internet-based game. Materials development brings together the most effective messages with materials for the best combination of channels – the channel mix – in order to reach and influence the priority audiences.
A channel mix plan for a social and behavior change communication (SBCC) program is a strategic document that identifies the types of communication channels that best reach the priority audience to deliver the messages and the optimal blend of channels that maximizes reach and effectiveness of the messages. Ultimately, the channel mix selected for the program depends on the communication landscape, audience characteristics, the program’s objectives and messages, reach and intensity, and budget.
Pretesting is the process of bringing together members of the priority audience to react to the components of a communication campaign before they are produced in final form. Pre-testing measures the reaction of the selected group of individuals and helps determine whether the priority audience will find the components – usually draft materials understandable, believable and appealing.
Materials adaptation is the process of modifying existing social and behavior change communication (SBCC) materials for a different audience, topic or setting. While this involves more than just translating the materials into the local language or modifying the artwork, adapting materials might include adjustments to the cultural context, modifications of the message or updates to the technical information.
