Romania privatization public awareness campaign : final report

The campaign was conducted in two phases. The first (2/93-4/94) was designed to stimulate debate about privatization and promote the development of private initiative, while the second (7/94-3/95) focused on engaging the public in the debate on the direction of economic reform, and providing the public with information helpful in involving it in the new economic order. Tactics used in the first campaign included: privatization days in cities and towns across the country to engage public officials and business leaders in the privatization dialogue, mass media campaigns (TV and radio programs and newspaper supplements) on the benefits of privatization and private enterprise, and the distribution of informational materials. Tactics in the second campaign included: TV movies, broadcasts on morning radio news shows, radio call-in shows, a question and answer column in Romania"s largest newspaper, seminars, posters, informational mailings, direct interaction with Romanians at public events, and collaboration with other organizations. The report comments on these tactics, and presents lessons learned in their implementation. In some instances, the comments explain why the method used varied from the strategy originally proposed in the scope of work. The campaigns, it is noted, served as the primary driver for keeping the topic of economic reform in the public debate during a period in which most government action was taking place behind the scenes.