COVID-19 Communication Inspiration Challenge

How might we rapidly inform and empower communities around the world to stay safe and healthy during the COVID-19 outbreak?

The Challenge
Let’s share our experiences around COVID-19 information to inspire global leaders.
Let’s share our experiences around COVID-19 information to inspire global leaders.
Who Participated?

COVID-19 is impacting and reshaping daily life for everyone around the globe. We invited anyone to participate and share your experience and learnings—every insight is valuable to sharpening our thinking

We asked participants to share their experience regarding information and inspiration they saw around the COVID-19 outbreak that helped tthem change your behavior and make new decisions.


The Opportunity

IDEO coordinated with global response authorities who want to make sure people have actionable, relevant information around COVID-19. The Challenge was launched to share a range of experiences from around the world with them, showing how people are accessing information: What’s working well to motivate behavior change, what isn't working, and what feels missing.


What's Happening Now
  • On April 7, 2020, we hosted a webinar with global communications and business leaders—including IDEO’s Chief Creative Officer Paul Bennett and Andrea Mallard, CMO of Pinterest. The discussion centered around the intersection of COVID-19 communication and behavior change, as well as insights generated by the thousands of participants in this Challenge. Fill out this form to receive a recording of the webinar and a copy of the Challenge insights report.
  • Be sure you're signed up to receive updates about the Challenge.


Participants were welcome to submit solutions to the Beyond the Bag Challenge through one of three submission channels. Learn more about each channel.

Overview

COVID-19 is changing the lives of people and communities around the world each second. The rapidness of the outbreak has left individuals and organizations alike grasping for information and actions that can be taken to stay safe and healthy in completely new and uncertain circumstances.

As a global community, we are grappling with how to nurture and care for ourselves and each other, even though we might not fully understand the ramifications of the situations unfolding around us, and while we navigate the new reality of social distancing. Information and access to it looks different for people around the world, as do responses to that information. Meanwhile, our spirits continue to seek and respond to stories and moments of beauty, joy, and inspiration that remind us of our humanity. And time continues to be of the essence, as we work to build supportive systems that will allow people to feel informed, connected, and prepared with each stage of the outbreak. 

IDEO is currently in touch with global response authorities who want to make sure people have actionable, relevant information around COVID-19. We'd like to share a range of experiences from around the world with them, showing how people are accessing information: what’s working well to motivate behavior change, what isn't working, and what feels missing.


Challenge Journey

Inspiration Phase

Mar 18, 2020

Mar 31, 2020

Current Phase
Inspiration Phase
The Inspiration Phase was about sharing what people have seen and learned around the COVID-19 outbreak.

This included posting information and practices that have helped people change behavior, make decisions, and gain inspiration.

What Happened

Participants shared their experience regarding information and inspiration they've seen around the COVID-19 outbreak that has helped them change their behavior and make new decisions. Over 900 experiences were shared from 80+ countries.

Key Dates

This Challenge started on March 18, 2020 and closed on March 31, 2020.

VIEW EXPERIENCES
The Challenge

How might we rapidly inform and empower communities around the world to stay safe and healthy during the COVID-19 outbreak?

Read The Full Brief

Opportunity Areas

Sustainable and Equitable Access to information

How might we ensure that information about COVID-19 spreads into communities around the world, enabling every person to stay healthy and safe while avoiding misinformation and unnecessary fear? 

  • You can’t fight a virus if you don’t know how. COVID-19 has driven more engagement and coverage than any other virus, with constant updates and new information available through traditional media channels and on social media. How do we know what information to rely on? Containing and stopping this pandemic will require equitable access to trusted, reliable information. How is your community accessing trusted information? What questions do you have? Have you observed contradictions and misinformation?

Inspiring and uplifting each other 

How might we leverage creativity and thoughtfulness to nurture each other emotionally and spiritually while adapting to a new normal?

  • Positivity, joy and connectedness can serve as a source of fuel during times of uncertainty. While social distancing helps to prevent the rampant spreading of COVID-19, it can result in loneliness, depression and anxiety, especially for vulnerable populations such as the elderly. Simple acts and gestures can enable an outsized effect—from new ways of connecting online, to rethinking good deeds and helpfulness in a contactless world, to infusing art and play into our days. What’s bringing you joy during this time? Where are you struggling?

Thoughtful preparation for a new reality 

How might we thoughtfully and effectively learn to prepare ourselves, our families, and our communities for this new reality brought forth by COVID-19? 

  • The way we are engaging with, managing, and planning our relationship with resources such as food, shelter, clothing, education, community spaces, healthcare, and more have been redefined—seemingly overnight. Working together to ensure our families and communities are well provided for is imperative at this world-shifting time. In what ways are you learning about how best to prepare your local community, family, network and others to ensure resources are well-managed and available for all?

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View Experiences
View Experiences
Challenge Team:

Jason Rissman

Managing Director

Hannah Lennett

Marketing Lead

Alisa Ahmadian

Senior Program Lead

Luisa Covaria

Senior Director

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