The Communication Initiative
Development action with informed and engaged societies
The Communication Initiative

After nearly 28 years, The Communication Initiative (The CI) Global is entering a new chapter. 

Following a period of transition, the global website has been transferred to the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa, where it will be administered by the Social and Behaviour Change Communication Division. Wits' commitment to social change and justice makes it a trusted steward for The CI's legacy and future. 

On the transfer, co-founder Victoria Martin expressed her pleasure to see this work continue under Wits' leadership, knowing that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction. 

As Wits, we honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades and look forward building from that strong base. This includes co-founders Warren Feek (1953-2024) and Victoria Martin as well as La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA), which continues independently at lainiciativadecomunicacion.com with links to The CI Global site. We are also eager to forge new partnerships and entertain new ideas as we consider how best to contribute to social and behaviour change in our rapidly evolving environment.

If you are joining the International Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) Summit in Panama, please join Wits and CILA on Monday, 22 June, to share your thoughts and suggestion for the relaunch of the Communication Initiative. We will be in Pacifica 5 from 12-1:25 for the Refuel, Reflect, and Renew Lunch Series: The Communication Initiative: celebrating a driving force for Communication for Social Change and the way forward. We will reflect on the legacy of Warren Feek and family in creating the Communication Initiative, consider the contributions of CI over the years and then turn our attention towards the future in this dynamic session. 

If you are unable to join us in Panama, we still want to hear from you. Please contribute your thoughts by following this link: https://redcap.link/CommunicationInitiative2026 or reaching out to ci_surveys@commint.com. 

You can also follow the QR Code:

 https://redcap.link/CommunicationInitiative2026

Time to read
1 minute
Print
a- a+
Published 15 years ago
Last updated 1 year ago
Read so far

Super Chicken Avian Influenza Campaign

0 comments
In November 2006, the USA-based Academy for Educational Development (AED) - in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) - launched a communication campaign revolving around an invincible "superhero" chicken figure in an effort to raise awareness about how to combat avian influenza in Southeast Asia. Introduced at national water festivals in Cambodia and Laos, Super Chicken (known as "Super Moan" in Cambodia and "Super Kai" in Laos) is a broad-breasted rooster with a red cape and strong opinions about healthy behaviours. The action figure, designed to serve as an engaging but also credible source of good behaviours and best practices, appears in public service announcements (PSAs), on posters, in booklets, and at public events.
Communication Strategies

This awareness campaign uses a fun, entertaining approach to educate people about how to stop the spread of the bird flu virus. Research informed the development of the campaign: AED's surveys among backyard farmers and their communities showed that there was both a need and a desire to have more information on specific steps to take to prevent outbreaks of avian flu. The campaign was developed in Cambodia during an AED workshop with government officials, and then later adapted to the Laos context. (In Laos, Super Kai has a slightly different look; part chicken and part human, this character is somewhat bossy in temperament and travels on motorcycle or boat to help farmers and communities prevent bird flu outbreaks).

The campaign uses a variety of media to communicate concrete information about how to prevent avian flu. The rooster first appeared in Cambodia in televised PSAs (which may be viewed by clicking here). Though made lighthearted by the presence of Super Chicken, the TV ads convey details to farmers who appear in them about how to protect their families and livelihoods from infection by the virus. For example, one ad shows Super Chicken swooping down to warn a farmer about the danger associated with introducing a new chicken into his yard. With catchy music playing in the background, Super Chicken instructs the man that he should separate the new chicken from the rest of the flock for 14 days, and also wear a mask, clean his yard, and wash his hands after working. Super Chicken then indicates that he must depart in order to spread the word to other farmers, and the farmer promises that he will help by telling them, too. In this way, the ads strive to not only provide information but to increase communication among farmers about these issues.

In addition to television, Super Kai and Super Moan are also appearing on posters and in booklets. The figures have also appeared in documentaries, in street theatre performances, and at water festivals. They will continue to appear in community-based activities and events in both Cambodia and Laos.

Development Issues

Health.

Partners

AED, USAID.

Teaser Image
http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:_e3VPgy2mMy9qM:http://www.usaid.gov/our