Traditional advocacy - where organisations were able to engage decision makers such as politicians and businesses directly - became extremely limited when the pandemic began.

Charities, but also policy-makers and governments made an urgent switch to digital outreach to continue communications. Digital advocacy – such as outreach on social channels, emails encouraging interaction, activism and more, from likes and interactions to signing petitions and taking direct action – remains at pre-pandemic levels. As such, WaterAid is now considering the long-term implications of this, and how it can be more strategic in its long-term digital approach.

Blue State will help WaterAid develop a strategy for its WASH Matters programme - its technical and field operations arm, working with WaterAid’s head office as well as with the countries where WaterAid works. 

The agency will help WaterAid to understand how it can help shape its global digital advocacy around water, sanitation and hygiene access, and the tools, techniques and messages that will resonate with governments, policy-makers and influencers to bring WASH to the forefront of the policy making agenda.

Claire Seaward, campaigns director at WaterAid, says, “The pandemic deeply impacted how we, and many other charities, operate online when it comes to raising awareness, driving fundraising and  reaching our advocacy goals. We saw a shift in how we could ensure our messaging was at the forefront for the right audiences from in-person to online. 

“With people continuing to work from home in the future, this digital way of influencing will be an important new tool in our advocacy toolkit even as other pandemic behaviours begin to change back again for many. Blue State’s in-depth understanding of mobilising people online means they really know how to solve this challenge for us as we head into 2022, and beyond.”