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Lifelong Learning UK
create a common message explaining what LLUK does so that everyone 'gets it'
“The big picture instantly became the most valuable piece of communications collateral the organisation has.”
Ezri Carlebach, Director of Communications,Lifelong Learning UK
Lifelong Learning UK (LLUK) is a Sector Skills Council. It works with organisations across the four nations (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales), and across five areas of work (Community Learning and Development, Further Education, Higher Education, Libraries archives and information services, and Work Based Learning).
Different needs, legislations and policies across the different nations and areas of work have made it difficult to create a common message about what LLUK does. A common message is crucial so that everyone within LLUK can explain their organisation and pass on a consistent and accurate message.
Cognac Solution:
We interviewed internal representatives with knowledge of LLUK’s strategy, detail, and communications, as well as external audiences. The interviews looked in depth at what LLUK do, how they do it and why they do it.
The interviews showed us that whilst there was good alignment about ‘what’ LLUK do, there was confusion about ‘how’ they do it. Within LLUK people were bogged down by the details of particular projects and so did not provide a consistent message about how LLUK works. These details meant that the key messages about ‘why’ LLUK do what they do were getting lost. In contrast, the external audiences were excited about, and focused on, the huge benefits and importance of ‘why’ LLUK do what they do.
As a result of the interview findings the core message of the big picture focuses on the importance of ‘why’ LLUK do what they do. This core message depicts the wider knock-on impacts and benefits of LLUK’s work to the UK’s workforce, society and economy. These knock-on effects are shown as a sequence of steps surrounding an atom image. This ‘anchor image’ shows LLUK as the nucleus and the four nations as electrons. The steps are easy to understand and remember and encapsulate the essence of LLUK for both the internal and external audiences.
This core message engages the audience so that they are receptive to further messaging about ‘what’ LLUK do and ‘how’ they do it – which is incorporated in the panel along the bottom of the big picture.
Results:
The big picture quickly tells the story of LLUK. The big picture was produced in English and Welsh and we printed 4,000 copies folded into a handy A5 size. A PowerPoint version of the big picture was presented at the Association of Colleges annual conference in November 2008.
The title ‘The power of lifelong learning’ was a great success, quickly becoming a widelyused message throughout the organisation. The big picture process involved and united the four nations. The resulting collateral in its different formats has been welcomed throughout the nations.
“The big picture instantly became the most valuable piece of communications collateral the organisation has”
Ezri Carlebach, Director of Communications, Lifelong Learning UK
