Influence

Influencing public policy and stakeholders needs to be based on an omni-channel approach whereby communications and engagement support organisational goals and strategy. This link between core business and communications is crucial, as it allows organisations to cut through the noise and influence those that matter.
Convergence - trigger to align communications channels

Strategy

Communications, marketing, public affairs: all engagement disciplines are shifting closer together and using the same tools to identify and address target audiences. This requires an integrated strategic approach. That approach needs a distinct vision, mission, values and purpose to create the right engagement within your organisation and strong support from external stakeholders.

And it should not remain static. Changes in leadership, market developments, corporate mergers or spin-offs are all good reasons to realign the strategy.

Our role is to listen, guide and shape the process, enabling top executives and management teams to agree on, and stick to, the common direction: the organisational North Star.

Effective omni-channel advocacy strategies include:

  • In-depth understanding of the landscape and policy
  • Strong vision and call to action translated into a North Star
  • Listening protocols for all the channels
  • Influencer and stakeholder approach
  • Strong creative idea and key point of engagement

ESG and SDGs

Companies and organisations are increasingly judged by how they contribute to society and the challenges facing Planet Earth. Sustainability commitments are no longer about words: they are about action and engagement. The development of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) framework has created that shift from talk to action. It’s now all about how sustainability is fully and meaningfully integrated across the whole organisational value chain.

To be effective, organisations need to connect with their partners and stakeholders. We offer a comprehensive range of strategic and tactical services related to sustainability communications.

  • Sustainable Development Goals mapping and strategy
  • Sustainability communications strategies
  • Influencer, community and platform mapping
  • Employee engagement programs
  • Sustainability reporting
  • Sustainability campaigns

Positioning and thought leadership

Thought leadership can be a very effective and transformative strategy if executed properly. Everybody wants to be a thought leader, and everyone likes hearing from genuine thought leaders.

Good thought leadership is simple and effective, provided it is based on the clear principles that it must contain interesting thoughts that can provoke debate and shift your industry or sector.

  • Objective setting
  • Thought leadership issue mapping
  • Influencer, community and platform mapping
  • Engagement strategies
  • Leadership positioning and communications
  • Channel strategy and approach
  • Content development

Integrated campaigns

We believe in adopting a holistic approach to public affairs and advocacy. That means integration across all channels — social media, digital and traditional public affairs, for example — which all play a vital role in building reputation and influence, ensuring your messages and positions cut through the noise.

We also recognise the value of working in partnership with other stakeholders, through issues and industry specific platforms, or looser coalitions, along with the importance of adopting a campaigning approach and mentality. We use multiple communication channels and tools, and focus engagement activities on clearly defined and measurable objectives.

Brussels, Geneva and London play a pivotal role in shaping and driving the global public affairs agenda, including the Sustainable Development Goals. With offices in these vital markets, and with strategic partners in New York, Washington and Beijing, Leidar is uniquely positioned to support our clients’ public affairs campaigns.

  • Political and regulatory engagement
  • Campaigns, communities and coalitions
  • Reputation building and thought leadership
  • Crisis and issues management
  • Monitoring and analysis
  • Messaging and impactful content
  • Digital, social, and traditional media
  • Capacity building

Omni-channel advocacy

It is often the case that you will need stakeholder support to get to where you want to be. Advocacy is about gathering support for your point of view on a particular topic to shape decisions and outcomes. It is about developing and executing communications strategies to influence and shape public or stakeholder opinion around a topic, issue, event, or set of circumstances. If you are successful, you inspire advocates for your cause.

Social media and digital communications make the process of influencing public and stakeholder opinion much more open. But this opportunity is also set against the growing complexity of the issues faced in an interconnected and increasingly volatile world. The multiplication of actors, influencers and decision-makers also makes it more difficult to cut through the noise.

The elements of effective advocacy campaigns include:

  • Design, visual identity, and tone of voice
  • Speaking and engagement platforms
  • Social media content development
  • Videos, infographics and other visual content
  • AR and VR applications
  • Gamification and experience-based content
  • Measurement and evaluation protocol together with reporting