At the Amplification Project, our tag line is: “Translating Policy Research into Action.” How, you ask? We help policy organizations, advocacy groups, and social investors ‘show’ and ‘tell’ - and as a result change hearts and minds, and so the world, more effectively than ever before. Our recipe is simple: one part data + one part digital storytelling, coordinated with on-the-ground advocacy efforts.
There are endless bodies of research, data, and policy analysis that advocates and think tanks use to build support for progressive policies. We believe it is time to ‘amplify’ this information to persuade new audiences – and to get undeniable evidence of everyday suffering and injustice in front of citizens to inspire action.
Consider the following passage from the advocacy organization, Feeding America:
“In November of 2011, the Economic Research Service at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its most recent report on food insecurity, indicating that 49 million people in the United States are living in food insecure households, 16 million of whom are children. While the magnitude of the problem is clear, national and even state estimates of food insecurity can mask the nuances that exist at the local level.” (Source: Feeding America, http://feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/hunger-studies/map-the-meal-gap/child-food-insecurity-executive-summary.aspx)
Our advice here: show, don’t just tell. These damning statistics alone, on paper, strike a chord for some – but not enough. Imagine how much more powerful this data becomes when it is, for example, illustrated in an infographic, with an interactive map, and accompanied by portraits, testimonials and a lively soundtrack. Imagine watching a short video you discover on Facebook or Twitter, with corresponding links to policy reports and advocacy organizations on the front lines. We predict that your heart and your mind will be moved to ‘do something’ about hunger in America. And we know that you will share your inspiration with your friends and followers.
Welcome to 21st-century advocacy in America. Welcome to the social policy debate, Amplified.