Communication-Based Prevention Strategies: A Draft Model Proposal

Is it possible to prevent something through communication? Or at least to raise people’s awareness through communication? The chapter presents and discusses a draft model for the prevention strategies in relation to the risk of natural disasters through an analysis of the Italian campaign “I don’t take risks”. The draft model consists of: a) the four stages of the change of communication-based prevention strategy process: 1) perception and relevance: how to sense a theme or a significant problem, 2) knowledge: how to deepen the characteristics of the issue or problem that I consider relevant, 3) incorporation: how do I incorporate the theme into the imaginary, and 4) change: how behaviors and attitudes can change; b) the four principles of daily work for the prevention of communication: 1) monitor the media, 2) read the public space, 3) deal with the operators of information, and 4) analyze the media landscape of the theme; c) the five dimensions for the communication-based prevention strategy: 1) popularity of the messages, 2) use of narratives, 3) ritual in communication actions, 4) colonize the imaginary: imaginary appropriation of the market communication, and 5) media education: building knowledge and awareness among citizens; and d) the four phases of the impact assessment of prevention: 1) communication objectives, 2) community analysis, 3) measurement of involvement and participation, and 4) impact assessment.