Stakeholder Relations
CONNECT. COLLABORATE. COMMUNICATE.

In an ideal world, your stakeholders are all collaborating effectively to achieve the same goals. But then there’s the real world, where things can spiral downward into dysfunction and discord. Don’t worry: there’s a solution for that. Turn stagnation into success with the right strategy and content. And make everybody a whole lot happier.

The Challenge

Clean nuclear energy is widely recognized as the pathway to net-zero emissions, but the industry has often been confronted on the issue of waste management. Ontario’s Nuclear Advantage (ONA), an association of diverse Ontario-based nuclear industry organizations and companies, opened up a dialogue on a solution, but special-interest groups used the stigma of ‘nuclear’ to play on people’s fears and spread misinformation. ONA needed to balance the conversation with a clear message that replaced fiction with facts, activated the supportive silent majority, and boosted community awareness. They turned to Big Red Oak to develop a campaign that would unite its stakeholders and strengthen its case.

The Solution

We took a deep dive into the situation through a SWOT analysis informed by surveys and discussions to identify key themes, goals, audiences and communication channels. Our discovery process proved that science is on our side, with a groundswell of public and industry support. A four-point strategic approach of community engagement and participation, a multimedia content library, social media outreach, and mobilization of an army of advocates packed a powerful punch. A downloadable digital playbook loaded with images, infographics, quick facts and guidance for its use encouraged stakeholders to amplify consistent messaging through their networks. A video series of ‘Voices’ invited residents and business owners to testify to the viability of the waste management solution and the benefits of nuclear. Compelling graphics clarified the statistics through paid and organic channels, while the ONA website shared the assets and information. The campaign effectively aligned its stakeholders, arming them with the tools and the incentive to respond to the voices of dissent and flip the script on the nuclear advantage.

The Creative

Our solution to ONA’s challenge included a vast library of assets for the organization’s continued use beyond the initial campaign. Stakeholders benefited from a well-planned, comprehensive campaign that elevated the industry and educated the audience. This video is a compilation of excerpts from the series that highlighted viewpoints from the community, strengthening the case for balanced discourse on the proposed solution for nuclear waste management.