Alaska Case Study: Developing a Communications Playbook to Help Deliver a “One-of-a-Kind” Vs. a “One-Is-As-Good-As-Any-Other” Story

What is the overarching story that ensures people recognize, understand, relate to, and remember our organization? Are they willing to stand up on our behalf because they see the value of our work? These questions prompted U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff in Alaska to come together in February 2015 to lay the foundation for development of an integrated communications playbook (strategy) to help guide and better leverage existing communications capacity. The goal of the ongoing effort is to develop a compelling shared narrative and identity, as well as more consistent, coordinated, and proactive content that resonates with both staff and the Service’s target audiences. We present the process undertaken to develop the playbook, how we went about identifying our own unique Alaska-specific story (our value, values, and voice), an example of how we are telling our story in a step down fashion, and lessons learned.