Chapter 7. Takeaways & call to action

We developed the RESET project in partnership with CLAIM Allianz members recognising both the challenge of tackling increasing levels of Islamophobic attitudes in the middle, and the potential of narrative change responses. Hence, the #KommMit narrative change pilot project was developed as the empirically-proven foundation and catalyst for broader action to advance social cohesion, and specifically to change the conversation on Muslims and Islam in Germany. The first step was to test and prove that the value-based approach can work and be a useful advocacy tool for CLAIM members, by positively shifting attitudes of those in the middle. As shared throughout the toolbox, the #KommMit pilot has proven this to be the case. Secondly, building on that success, the broader ambition is for members of CLAIM and other networks to adopt or adapt the #KommMit strategy and start to build the widescale presence of the new narratives at the scale needed to ‘change the weather’ of the public debate. 
 
Given the fact that the challenge of Islamophobic attitudes remains formidable in 20241 , we present this chapter as a call to action, by detailing:

  • the key topline takeaways from the pilot;
  • how partners can adopt or adapt what was learned in the #KommMit pilot.


 
7.1 Topline takeaways from the #KommMit pilot

The results of the #KommMit pilot far exceeded our targets and benchmarks for such NGO narrative change campaigns targeting the movable middle in Germany. Further, the process of strategy development through storytelling to digital campaigning and evaluation was the most comprehensive we’ve navigated in a decade of doing this work. We’re hopeful that the documented lessons from this empirically-proven pilot project will provide the needed motivation for CSOs wishing to engage middle groups to tackle Islamophobia and drive a social cohesion agenda. 
 
From the many dimensions and stages of the pilot detailed in this toolbox, the following topline takeaways are intended to encourage CSOs to get started on their own narrative change work using the #KommMit toolbox:


 
1.     Value-based messaging and storytelling works to open the door to the middle audience of ‘The Established’

Even in the more challenging times we are living, with the rise of more polarisation in debates on migration, Muslims and Islam2 , the #KommMit pilot proves that a value-based approach works to open space for a constructive social cohesion framed debate with a key segment of the population, ‘The Established’. As they are an older group of parents and grandparents who are very connected and engaged in their communities, their opinions on these issues can be very important in local decision-making and agenda setting. Having them on your side could be the decider in gaining community support for your issue, making them an important target group for narrative change. It would also be worth experimenting with the #KommMit messaging and lessons with other middle segments close to ‘The Established’, such as ‘The Involved’ and ‘The Detached’3 .
 
 


2.     The #KommMit pilot was cost effective in reaching and engaging ‘The Established’, and hence, ‘flooding the zone’ with positive stories is a viable option.

Through the focus groups we ran as part of the #KommMit strategy development process, it became clear that even though there is openness among middle groups, some strong negative associations exist that need to be challenged, i.e. an automatic assumption that being Muslim means being a foreigner, and the belief that positive stories of the lives of Muslims in Germany are exceptions rather than commonplace. By embedding the #KommMit strategy in a long-term strategic communications aim, #KommMit strives over time to build the continual presence of stories like those in the pilot to the point that these assumptions become questioned by those in the middle, and eventually undermined. This would take a considerable longer-term investment, but the pilot proves that it can be done effectively and at a relatively low cost. Therefore, a so-called ‘flooding the zone’ strategy, entailing putting out such positive stories at scale to middle groups, is a realistic option and can make a significant contribution to important change.


 
3. Proven short-term attitude change is a foundation for longer term sustainable change

The question we are always asked about single narrative change campaigns is how long the positive attitude shift will hold with a group that are named as ‘movable’ and the realistic expectation is that it can hold through the media cycle that follows. But ultimately, as already proposed, the strategic communications target of presence needs to be the target, so that continual sharing of such messages and stories becomes ‘surround sound’ for such target audiences in this debate, and slowly but surely, these stories then become the norm4 . This can only happen at scale and through embracing a movement perspective. Hence, we encourage all interested CSOs to be the initiators of this positive step forward to engage the – up to now – untapped potential of the middle. 
 


7.2 Adopting or adapting the #KommMit strategy & lessons

There is no one size fits all, and different CSOs have different interests, needs, contexts and capacities; hence, the toolbox is designed to be used flexibly. At a more general level, this toolbox provides insights into the A to Z of the narrative change process entailed in the #KommMit pilot: detailed and comprehensive steps, explanations, materials, methods and tools used in the pilot from the strategy development stage to storytelling to evaluation. Checklists are dotted throughout the resource to help you reflect on your current advocacy work and start planning your own narrative change work. We provide all of this so that interested CSOs have a solid empirically tested foundation upon which to build their own narrative change work. More specifically, we are suggesting adopting or adapting the empirically tested pilot #KommMit strategy and the following sections provide guidance and ideas for each.


 
7.2.1 How to adopt the #KommMit strategy & approach

There are a number of levels and ways to adopt the #KommMit strategy, depending on your advocacy goals and resources available (especially capacity, time and funding):

  • Repeat and replicate the #KommMit social media pilot targeting ‘The Established’ segment using the existing strategy and materials – stories of existing protagonists, social media copy and hashtag, logo/branding, website;
  • Develop your own stories using the #KommMit value-based storytelling approach and methods detailed in chapter 5, e.g. recruit new tradespeople protagonists and adapt the best performing storyboards to generate stories relevant for your local community;
  • Incorporate the tried and tested three topline narratives on social cohesion detailed in chapter 4 into your advocacy work, using ideas and guidance in the ‘what to do’ list in 4.3.3;
  • Expand on and take the #KommMit pilot to scale and ‘flood the zone’ with the existing stories of protagonists together with stories of new protagonists you develop yourself.

 
German CSOs interested in adopting the #KommMit strategy, for example adding your local stories to the existing website, should get in contact with the team of narrative change specialists who led the pilot (see Chapter 8 - About page).


 
7.2.2 How to adapt the #KommMit strategy & approach

There are a number of ways to adapt the #KommMit pilot:

  • Build your own campaign using the empirically tested narrative strategy (target audience, value appeal, topline narratives) and steps in the process, but take it in a different direction (e.g. develop a new and different campaign pitch) and/or recruit and feature different protagonist groups (e.g. beyond tradespeople);
  • Professionalise your own campaigning by adopting or using specific aspects of the pilot, for example, the segmentation research, testing, social media or storytelling approaches;
  • Take on the tested narrative approach as a way to engage middle audiences in other ways beyond campaigning, for example, within a community engagement project.

 
German CSOs interested in having support with adapting the #KommMit narrative change pilot, should get in touch with the team of certified narrative change specialists who led this pilot and are ready and willing to help you (see Chapter 8 - About page).
 
To close, we hope that the work and investment of many documented in this toolbox is a stepping stone to taking the first five steps in the right direction towards making social cohesion a near-future reality. The intention of this toolbox has been to take on what seems to be one of the most intractable issues of our time and dig deep into finding a tested methodology that can build the power of the movement to take back control of the public narrative and move away from the zero sum narratives that currently dominate. Such a narrative change approach can help us move towards a future where dissent is the basis for civic and constructive deliberation and a cohesive shared future where all people are protected, valued and able to live happy lives in equitable communities.

 

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