Research for Democracy

Empowering Parliamentarians with Facts

Making Real Issues Visible Where They Matter Most

Each lawmaker in Parliament is the individual brick that strengthens India’s democratic structure. Their interventions on issues concerning the nation and its people, and their views make or unmake the quality of governance. This directly impacts the citizen’s lives.

These crucial issues can be addressed effectively only through meaningful, informed interventions and insightful participations by the lawmakers. However, it is not always easy for Parliamentarians to get to the most fruitful interventions at the right time. Sometimes, they lack the right and timely support needed for effective interventions, be it in Parliamentary discussions or during policy interventions.

About RFD

A public affairs group, has an experienced team of journalists and researchers, who are well acquainted with parliamentary practices and interventions, to aid and assist the Members of Parliament, and state legislators to effectively use their democratic power. We empower them, and also help them reach their voters, through media, including, print, electronic, digital news portals, and social media, so that their work as a Member of Parliament is appreciated by all, especially the voters from their own constituencies.

We intend to create a favorable atmosphere in various segments of society and broaden the legislative process by providing Members of Parliament and legislators with the necessary data and real time analysis for healthy debates and interventions in Parliament.

Our team of experts is empowered with thorough research, planning and years of experience to create content based on specific data, background information of policies and issues and provide right inputs on specific parliamentary proceeding.

We also help the parliamentarians map the political sentiments of their voters in preparation of elections, and help making winning strategies. We also map constituency specific issues and find ways to make the candidate a brand name among the voters, using modern research and social communications tools.

We provide personalised and customised services in areas related to political communication, including image management and create messages that resonate with the voters. The objective is to create a favourable atmosphere in political constituency and formulate strategies and provide real time analytics on social and digital media engagement around issues, besides tactical research-based planning support.

We offer services in three verticals

Our Offerings

Research for the members

In Parliament and legislatures, a member is made or unmade through what issues, he or she raises consistently, and what is its depth and relevance to various policy formulations. We work with the member to know his inclinations on various issues and support with focused research inputs, so that the member can get the right attention from political spectrum as well as the government and the voters. We interact regularly with the members and their team and support them with quality inputs on all their parliamentary and legislative presence.

Communication strategies

We formulate holistic communication strategies with 360-degree execution plans and mapping of impact at each stage of the member’s parliamentary life. We work towards improving their image in the public space. A multi-prong approach is employed to design a customised, member specific strategy.

Messaging

Creating key message for legislators and long-term messaging for political parties. This is done by team of experts after reviewing and analysing general political narrative and ground reports. Our methodology involves testing a series of message over a period of time and based on the feedback the key message is finalised and fine-tuned for each member and to positively place his image.

Target messaging

We have an exclusive methodology for targeted messaging which involves state of the art technology, social listening, ground research, prevailing narratives in public domain and design message with high impact value. Not only creation of message but will be involved in distribution of messages to target population based on real time analytics and study impact.

Focus group messaging

Engage with a cross section of society and engage with communities to increase support base, to create social harmony, working closely with various social groups like youth, women, income level groups, urban, rural population across religions. We create a strong offline, online community, volunteers and social leaders to amplify the message and sensitise masses around issues. Customized messaging and communication is done for each focus group.

Policy work and drafting position papers

Issue experts will document policy papers under various committees in tune with the ideological position of the Member of Parliament and political party they represent. The work will involve community through series events and will be done in a campaign methodology. An in depth study of the opponent’s’ position, social dynamics and geographical and demographic data will be the key inputs in the process. Each document will be supported by an execution plan and timeframe of execution as well.

Issue mapping

With the help of data, results from social listening, research and analysis of issues in public domain issues are segregated with tools and our unique approach. Based on judgment of experts the issues are mapped on various priorities.

Sentiment mapping

Real time sentiment mapping and analysis with big data in public sphere and generate intelligence for right messaging and mass engagement around issues. Hi-tech tools will be used for mapping social sentiments.

Media positioning

We have a huge media network that includes columnists, and senior journalists to leverage reputation management, and drive media narrative. Our experts have worked for decades at top positions in mainstream media.

Spokespersons training

This involves training for handling media, appearing for interviews, press conferences and TV debates.

Crisis communication management

We offer an elaborate training on handling and responding to a crisis situation, by professionals, in simulated real life situations, to spokespersons and senior leadership.

Website Development for MPs

We will work with Members of Parliament to design and develop content for their website that serve as a central communications platform for all activities. We aim to:

• Provide information about MPs (regular updates and news features)
• Bring together the key voices on issues for rural development and aggregate conversations.
• The website will link with the social media handles to further promote and popularize the activities of the MPs to their voters and political groups.

It will also have features like community engagement, interactive platform and social media linkages. We will include user-interface design mock-ups, content aggregation and curation and original-content sourcing from MPs.

The public-facing platform will enable the members, to share their speeches, research and analysis collected over the course of the period, amplifying its reach and inviting broader discussion around it. This will help the MPs identify and realize new opportunities.

Election Campaigns

Mapping voter sentiments

The era poll surveys to understand voters political leanings are over, it is now vital to know what issues are vital to them. Electoral success is directly related to how one well the voters identify with the campaign and if they feel their issues are being highlighted. Our research for sentiment mapping helps candidates in assessing the thought process of the voters.

Designing campaigns around issues

This helps increase a candidate’s support base. The campaigns we design have inbuilt strategies to attract volunteers and community leaders. Each campaign involves interventions in issues and event planning with strategies to get more media visibility and traction, create content for social and digital media platforms. We execute and sustain customised campaigns in consultation with the candidate.

Third party campaigns

A third party campaign can create the required eco system for any candidate or political party to successfully intervene. It can be the local decision makers and NGOs who can undertake this. But identification of these third party influences are key to the success in an election.

Creative visual Communications

• Designing Content for Digital Media: Short Films, Campaign Trails, Audio Jingles, Animation Films, Political Cartoons, Satire Videos and Parodies, Music Videos etc.
• Slogans and Tag-lines
• Posters and Billboards
• Badges, Pamphlets, Branded Merchandise

Digital Control Rooms (DCR)

We set up a state of the art digital control room powered with global technologies and applications, and managed by trained professionals. The DCRs will be equipped with systems for real time inputs from constituencies and political activities and help leadership for dynamic decision making with focused advice. This will be the hub for all deployments and communications with online research capability and broadcasting instructions to volunteers at ground.

ATL – Media Planning

Budget and Placement Planning of 360º advertising across print, digital and social media. Monitoring of opposition advertising and quick counter response, if required.

Leadership