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J5 Publicity Issues

Background

Before reading DFID’s rules, you must read and understand the Government Spending Controls published on the Cabinet Office website (see link under Processes and Tools section below).

The Marketing Communications Team has responsibility to deliver elements of DFID's external communications strategy.

This includes production of DFID publications as well as marketing and publicity support materials for events aimed at a UK audience.

In the first instance the team offers advice and support to commissioning teams. This will help:

  • Clarify the key purpose of the publication/publicity materials
  • Identify the intended audience
  • Agree an appropriate format (which may be electronic only) and
  • Outline a production schedule

Once a proposal has been approved we then support and oversee production of marketing materials.

When a publication is intended for a broad UK audience it is often useful to employ an 'external' writer or editor. In some cases this service can be delivered in-house. For 'Quick Guides' it may be advisable to have text approved by the 'Plain English Campaign'. Advice will be given by the team on a project-by-project basis.
The Marketing Communications Team also manage the contract for storage and distribution of publications and the provision of DFID Business Cards.

Compliance Tasks

1. Publicity and Marketing team must approve any proposal to produce a publication and associated timetable for production prior to submission to ministers
Task assigned to: All Staff

2. All DFID publications and DFID publicity and marketing materials must be approved by Information Division
Task assigned to: All Staff

3. No team should engage the services of graphic designers or printers independently or without prior agreement from Information Division
Task assigned to: All Staff

4. Policy Division teams should first contact Policy Division Communications team, which produce publications within a series of agreed formats or will liaise with Publicity & Marketing as appropriate
Task assigned to: All Staff

5. Any team commissioning writers and editors must ensure that copyright terms are agreed to ensure that DFID has the right to use or re-use material in the future
Task assigned to: All Staff

6. Electronic versions of DFID publications that are to be posted on the website must meet the criteria agreed in collaboration with Publicity and Marketing and the Web team.
Task assigned to: All Staff

7. Use of DFID's logo by a third party must be approved by Information Division
Task assigned to: All Staff

8. DFID employees should only use the official DFID business card.
Task assigned to: All Staff

Risks of non-compliance

  • Loss of credibility or broader damage to DFID's reputation.
  • Lack of strategic focus to DFID's external communications output.
  • Potential for mixed or conflicting messages to be delivered to known stakeholders or the broader UK public
  • Weakening of DFID's brand and presence
  • Breach of DFID/Her Majesty's Government (HMG) policies and guidelines, such as those relating to use of 'green' and sustainable stock (recycled paper) and print production methods.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2012

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