A campaign to reduce and ultimately stop the large numbers of Maoist insurgents in Nepal from breaking into houses in remote areas to steal food, harass the homeowners and cause disruption. After analysing the underlying reasons for the anti-social behaviour, the recommended intervention was to provide food for the insurgents outside the houses in a public gathering place. The insurgents were now quite happy to take their food without having to break into people’s houses. Hunger was the primary motivation for their anti-social behaviour.
Case Histories
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Counterinsurgency Campaign in Nepal
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Target Audience Analysis
Delivery to the United States Department of Defense and UK Ministry of Defence - a comprehensive Target Audience Analysis research report criticising the use of printed material in Afghanistan. In the wake of the 11 September 2001 attacks, the United States government produced and distributed 1.3 million copies of a pamphlet called “The Network of Terrorism”. SCL found that the written word has very little meaning or credibility in Afghanistan, due to a literacy rate of between 20 and 30 percent and that word of mouth is a more credible channel of communication.
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‘Quick Look’ at Afghan institutions
Exploratory research of the factors that are driving support for and opposition to groups and institutions such as GIRoA, ISAF, the ANSF and the wider insurgency. The research is presented in a ‘Quick Look’ format useful for a topline brief on the human terrain at a province level. This was a precursor to a forthcoming report on ‘Target Audience Analysis for Sustainable Rule in Law’ that followed in 2010.
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Key Leader identification in Afghanistan
A Target Audience Analysis study to identify key leader groups in selected Afghan provinces that are most amenable to disseminating non-violent messaging among the illiterate target audience to counter insurgent messaging. The campaign also delivered recommendations on the optimum way to engage the key leaders identified.
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Effective Engagement in Afghanistan
A campaign to understand the behaviours and attitudes of the local Afghan population regarding sensitive topics such as religious affairs, local governance, development and justice. The recommendations focussed on ways to increase the client’s effectiveness of its engagement with the local population.
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Counter Narcotics in Mexico
Target Audience Analysis report assessing group behaviours and attitudes towards the ‘war on drugs’ in terms of support for and opposition to the gangs involved and official attempts to counter the problem. A range of recommendations provided insight into how best to engage target audiences to increase social stability and security by rejecting the current practices linked to drug-related culture.
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Anti-Terrorism Campaign in South-East Asia
A campaign to reduce the incidences of terrorist recruitment, especially amongst young Muslim men/ boys, in South East Asia. This pan-Asian campaign involved not just identifying the triggers that would elicit the correct response from the target audience, but also implementing the ensuing communications campaign across four countries.
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Communication Programme in Iraq
A communication programme designed to reduce the number of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) being built by the enemy in Iraq. IEDs had been the primary cause of death for Allied troops. This was a perfect programme for SCL as it was immediately measurable and the company could demonstrate that it was saving lives.
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Military Training
Delivery of a 3 phase SCL training programme (including train-the-trainer), designed to provide a complete Information Operations capability (strategic and tactical) to a foreign military, to allow them to manage and operate their own military IO unit within 12 months.
