Why Creativity Is Crucial in Public Sector Communications
Zander Mills, Corporate Communications Manager, South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue, told us why he wants to encourage brands and organisations - especially in the public sector - to move beyond dull, uninspired messaging and embrace creativity to achieve meaningful results.
In a world flooded with content and distractions, the challenge for public sector communicators is clear: how do we ensure our messages stand out and capture the attention of the public?
Public sector messaging often deals with important issues that directly affect people's lives. Yet these crucial messages risk being drowned in a sea of uninspired and dull communication. Meanwhile, commercial brands with bigger budgets and bolder tactics capture most of the attention.
But creativity can change the game. It can ensure our messages are heard, understood, and acted upon.
Why Creativity Is More Important Than Ever
Usually, our public sector messages are THE most important messages for members of the public to understand or engage with, yet we often fall short in terms of creativity. This leaves the door open for brands and commercial businesses to steal the spotlight, leaving public sector communication in the background, ignored or overlooked.
Without creative approaches, public sector messaging becomes bland and forgettable, allowing more playful and engaging brands to take centre stage. In a crowded digital space, this is a dangerous outcome, as crucial public messages simply get lost.
Injecting Creativity Into Everyday Work
It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking public sector messaging must always be dry and formal. However, as communications expert Helen Reynolds aptly puts it, “Serious doesn’t have to be sombre.” Whilst public bodies often have quite serious and important messages to share with their audiences, that doesn’t mean they all have to be delivered with a frown on your face.
One practical way to boost creativity in your work is to keep an eye out for successful creative campaigns – and make sure to look beyond the public sector to other sectors. Take note of what catches your attention and think about how you could adapt these ideas to fit your own messaging. The goal is to innovate, not replicate.
Winning Over Sceptical Colleagues
Challenging the status quo often means facing resistance, particularly when you’re introducing new, unconventional approaches. This is where demonstrating the value and impact of what you do becomes critical.
It’s essential to show that more creative approaches get results – as in real, measurable outcomes, not just vanity metrics. While metrics like likes or shares can be appealing, it’s the deeper, more meaningful results – such as increased engagement or positive behavioural change – that truly matter. By proving that creativity drives tangible impact, you’re more likely to gain the buy-in you need from colleagues and decision-makers the next time you propose trying something different, particularly if your colleagues or bosses are naturally sceptical.
What to Stop (and Start) Doing on Social Media
A big mistake many public sector organisations make on social media is treating it solely as a one-way broadcast channel. Remember that social media is meant to be SOCIAL.
Instead of only pushing out messages, prioritise two-way engagement with your audience wherever possible – even where this feels challenging.
By shifting the focus from broadcasting to engaging, public sector organisations can create more authentic, dynamic interactions on social media, leading to stronger relationships and greater impact. I can assure you, you'll get more out of the platforms than if you simply use them as a broadcast tool.
Focusing Your Efforts for Maximum Impact
In today’s world of fragmented platforms and fleeting trends, it’s easy to get caught up in trying to be everywhere at once. However, spreading yourself too thin can lead to lacklustre results. Public sector teams must stop trying to do everything. There’s no way we can do every platform well.
So try to understand (and get your bosses to understand) which platforms matter most to your organisation and your target audiences. Prioritise these platforms and commit to doing them well. Doing one or two things exceptionally well is far more powerful than half-heartedly trying to cover everything.
By narrowing your focus and dedicating your resources to the right platforms, you can achieve deeper engagement and drive meaningful results.
The Future of Public Sector Communications
Looking to the future, public sector communications will continue to evolve, with AI playing a big role. In public services we're forever being asked to "do more with less". I think AI at least offers the chance to make the repetitive, dull tasks less like walking through treacle, allowing comms teams to have more time to focus on the stuff we really enjoy – like creative campaigns and innovative social media.
In an age where efficiency is key, AI can help public sector communicators do our best work more effectively.
Advice for Young Comms Professionals
For young communications professionals entering the public sector, it’s easy to get bogged down in bureaucracy and routine tasks, but make time for the work that will make a real difference!
Always make time for the 5% that makes you famous. Lots of work for lots of people is just emails and meetings. Emails and meetings. Emails and meetings. And yes, emails and meetings are part of the job, but they’re not what will ultimately define your success. So really try to make time for the work that will ultimately achieve results, make a difference and get you noticed for your creativity and impact. That's what gets us out of bed in the mornings.
Creativity is no longer a luxury in public sector communications, it’s essential. The public sector has the power to create meaningful change, but only if we’re brave enough to communicate in ways that truly capture attention and spark action.
Join us in London at SocialDay’s Social Media Fest, 20-22 May, at Phantom Peak, to hear more from Zander Mills on why bravery in marketing leads to better engagement and results. socialday.co.uk
