TV And Radio Adverts Supporting Environmental Behaviour Change In Sri Lanka
Fieldcraft Studios was commissioned via Cefas, an executive agency of Defra (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs), to deliver a suite of television and radio adverts under the Ocean Country Partnership Programme.
Working in partnership with Sri Lanka’s Central Environmental Authority, the campaign focused on two urgent issues:
-Newly banned single-use plastics and their impact on the environment
-The public health and climate change dangers of burning plastic waste
All content was produced for national broadcast and digital distribution, and delivered in English, Sinhala and Tamil.
The Challenge
This was a public information campaign operating in a live policy environment.
The work needed to:
-Clearly communicate recent legislative change
-Address deeply embedded everyday behaviours
-Land with diverse audiences across Sri Lanka
-Meet broadcast standards for national TV and radio
At the same time, the content needed to be culturally appropriate, politically neutral, and aligned with existing public communications, including previously published newspaper adverts.
Clarity mattered.
So did trust.
Our Approach
We looked back before we moved forward.
We conducted deep-dive research to look back and learn from twenty-five years of public campaigns in Sri Lanka.
The campaigns that worked. And the ones that didn’t.
Then we combined that learning with our own experience of delivering behaviour change campaigns.
We worked closely with Cefas and the Central Environmental Authority to:
-Build a clear understanding of the legislative context and public health risks
-Align messaging across TV and radio.
-Ensure continuity with existing CEA communications
We paid particular attention to:
-Cultural relevance and tone
-Gender, Equality, Diversity and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) principles
-Language accuracy and consistency across three translations
Senior strategic, creative and delivery oversight ensured decisions were well-governed, auditable and appropriate for a UK-funded international programme.
Our Solution
We delivered a coherent suite of broadcast-ready content, designed to work across channels while reinforcing consistent messages.
The work included:
-Two animated television-quality video adverts (30secs)
-Two complementary radio adverts (15secs)
-Full delivery in English, Sinhala and Tamil
-Content suitable for national TV, radio, YouTube and other social media channels.
Creative approaches were tailored to the subject matter:
–Plastic burning focused on public health risks and clarity of understanding
–Single-use plastics focused on everyday decision-making and household impact
All assets were fully designed, scripted, produced and delivered by Fieldcraft Studios, with structured review and approval points involving both Cefas and the Central Environmental Authority.
Our Impact
The project delivered clear, culturally appropriate public information content that supported the aims of the Ocean Country Partnership Programme.
The work:
-Enabled national broadcast of legally accurate, accessible messaging
-Supported public understanding of new environmental regulations
-Reinforced behaviour change through consistent, repeatable messaging across media
Delivered on time and within budget, the campaign demonstrates Fieldcraft’s ability to operate confidently within government-led, international behaviour change programmes, balancing policy intent, cultural sensitivity and creative clarity.
