Behaviour change

Research, including understanding what people think, feel and do, and why, underpins every effective change management program. Civic understands that clarity, consistency and coordination is vital to securing understanding of – and support for – any significant change.

Change cannot be supported if it is not understood, and it cannot be understood if it is not clearly communicated. That’s why at Civic, we believe the success of any change, reform or transformation lies in how the key audiences are engaged in it, communicated about it, perceive it and, in turn respond to it. Delivering the right messages, the right way, to the right people and at the right time using language that reaches, resonates and is remembered is vital.

Some of our experts

Some of our success stories

Creating a more cohesive, resilient community

Over the past decade, social cohesion, community resilience and preventing violent extremism have been priorities for governments around the world.

When one of Australia’s largest state governments wanted to develop a campaign to respond to these issues, it turned to Civic. From conception to completion, Civic developed a campaign that brought together research, communications, media, stakeholder and community relations, web, social and digital, events, public relations, TV, radio and print advertising and issues management in to one integrated strategy built around the concepts of belonging and contribution.

Tracking research showed that following campaign implementation, there was a significant increase in the proportion of people who considered the contribution of multiculturalism and diversity. Pleasingly, there had also been a significant increase in respondents indicating they felt a sense of belonging.

Federal Government owned not-for-profit organisation

Since 2017, Civic has acted as public affairs adviser of record for a major Federal Government owned not-for-profit organisation.

Operating in a contentious area of public policy, the client works with a national stakeholder network that includes all levels of government around Australia.

As an embedded public affairs adviser, Civic has advised on communications, stakeholder engagement and media relations during a period of extraordinary change and growth in the organisation and its work.

Civic provides communications risk management advice on major national communications campaigns and has developed and implemented national stakeholder engagement programs to support multi-million-dollar funding programs.

Working together with the client’s executive and board, Civic provides advice on all aspects of communications, from speechwriting and copywriting, to issues and reputation management, creative campaigns, government and stakeholder engagement and internal communications.

Successfully advocating for a new public hospital

For the residents of one of Australia’s fastest-growing regions, the nearest public hospital was out of reach and out of space.

In the lead up to a recent state election, the council engaged Civic to develop a research-informed campaign to seek pre-election commitments from the State Government and Opposition to build a full-service, 24-hour public hospital in the region.

Research underpinned the development of a compelling campaign brand that raised awareness of the urgent need for a hospital, generated regular media coverage, more than 17,000 signed postcards and emails advocating for the hospital and helped forge a strong advocacy relationship between council and the community.

The campaign secured significant funding commitments and following the government’s re-election it progressed the planning of the new hospital.

Major superannuation funds merger

When two of Australia’s largest public sector superannuation funds considered a merger, they turned to Civic for communications advice and support.

Civic worked with the funds’ management teams, boards and commercial advisers as they planned to announce the potential merger. Identifying, prioritising and mitigating risks was central to this work.

Creating a shared voice and ensuring all communications aligned with both funds’ brands, values, and protocols was a challenge that required significant consideration.

The impact on staff had the potential to incite union action, negative media coverage and an onslaught of resignations. As such, sensitivity was required. A staff engagement program developed by Civic and fronted by both funds’ CEOs helped prevent these events from occurring.

Ongoing communications with staff and unions as the merger negotiations continued was a priority. So too was the implementation of the communication strategy, ensuring internal and external stakeholders were informed of merger discussions at the right time, and in the right way.

Community energy efficiency scheme

We use energy every day – to run our homes, businesses and lives.

When a state government sought to better understand why – and why not – the community was participating in a program that offered incentives to invest in new energy technologies, it turned to Civic.

Civic designed and delivered a research program that informed a report that identified communications approaches that would reach and resonate with target audience groups.

The report played a role in reframing how the program was positioned and promoted, helping to remove administrative complexities and make the program easier to participate in and benefit from.