Analysing the Communication Strategies of Fourteen Countries in Response to the Covid-19 Pandemic
AM O’Sullivan PR recently contributed to an international report which analysed the communication strategies of fourteen countries in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. IPREX, the global communications platform, coordinated a truly worldwide effort which saw agencies across fourteen different countries collaborate to produce a significant piece of analysis, entitled What’s Working To Calm Hearts Worldwide.
AM O’Sullivan PR collaborated with Walsh:PR on the Irish chapter which examined the Irish Government’s communications strategy across the period end of February to early July this year. The two agencies are the only Irish members of this $420 million global network of communication agencies, with 1,220 staff and 93 offices worldwide working across the spectrum of industry sectors and practice disciplines.
The project allowed for a unique and unbiased assessment of the different communications approaches which were taken by the respective governments in each country for a defined period of time. In the introduction to the report IPREX Global President Julie Exner commended the Irish approach and identified a series of factors which contributed to the overall success of the strategy. “All decisions were driven by medical and scientific evidence or advice, and were primarily communicated to the public by health professionals. It says that Ireland was also one of the first countries to report cases in a completely accurate manner. This enabled the government to establish the public’s trust and ensured their communications were taken seriously,” she said.
Ann-Marie O’Sullivan, AM O’Sullivan PR, said, ”The analysis uncovered many similarities in the way governments communicated. They support what most communications professionals already know: the winning communication formula has been decisive action and clear, simple and consistent messaging. Even in the crisis of near-unprecedented magnitude, those simple tools have proven the most effective.”
Jim Walsh, Walsh:PR, said that “For the first time in most of our lifetimes, we are watching one common crisis play out across every country in the world. It was an ideal time for IPREX as a global organisation to take the opportunity to study how different cultures and different approaches fare in dealing with a common crisis, and communications’ role in that.”
A Cork-based communications consultancy with an international reach, AM O’Sullivan PR was recently named PRCA Agency of the Year (1-10 employees), an award which recognised the work that the consultancy has done over the past year, evaluating our growth, campaigns and dedication to education and improvement. We pride ourselves on having a unique insight and being truly global in our approach to communications. Our membership of IPREX ensures that we have access to a wealth of global knowledge.
The full report is available to download here.
