Introduction
The rapid response worksheet from Narrative Initiative enables you to use a strategic communications framework for advancing narrative strategy in the face of a crisis or other breaking news development. This tool is useful to communicators who need to create communications content in a rush and organisers thinking about how to design an effective rally or community forum that includes a call to action.
Why this matters
Taking advantage of rapid response situations is key to narrative change work. Breaking stories capture the public’s attention. When the winds are behind them, a spark can quickly become a wildfire that reconfigures the narrative landscape. If we’re prepared in advance, we can disarm toxic narratives or harness breaking stories to advance our narratives. This worksheet provides a framework for responding doing just that. We encourage you to take some time now to practice using it on rapid response scenarios you anticipate arising in your work. (For example, if you work on environmental issues, consider preparing now for how you might respond to the next oil spill, wildfire, or storm.)
About the tool
Below, you’ll find a planning tool designed by Hattaway Communications in partnership with Narrative Initiative. This tool allows you to think about how to engage specific audience(s) that are strategically important in a rapid response scenario. It could be your own members, a specific set of people in your community, or key persuadables who you hope to persuade away from toxic narratives toward adopting healthy narratives. Following that, you’ll find a sample of how you might use the tool in a real-world situation.
Anchoring your response in core narratives
Whether you are trying to pivot away from a toxic narrative or take advantage of a breaking story to move our narratives, we encourage you to name the core narratives you hope to advance in every piece of work your organization is doing around a particular issue. As an example, we’re sharing several narratives used by our partners at Our Minnesota Future.
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