01/10/24
Connie’s rise to stardom: Double award for Wellcome’s ethics puppet
The ‘What would Connie do?’ campaign has been causing a sensation at Wellcome and beyond…
So we’re utterly delighted that Connie, the joyous pink-haired ethics puppet, has been recognised by being shortlisted as a finalist for two major awards: the Engage Awards, and the European Compliance and Ethics Awards.
Tune in to the online European Compliance and Ethics Awards on 16th October to see 10-minute pitches from the three finalists, as well as an excellent day of virtual presentations, here: ecec-community.com
What and why?
But hang on, isn’t compliance about caution? About ‘colouring inside the lines’ and getting everyone to read the policies?
Doesn’t this campaign sound a bit… well… too much like fun?
Helping people trust their conscience is the grown-up way forward for organisations that do ethics and compliance well. It’s not focused on imposing restrictions so much as about supporting people to make good decisions that enable them and their organisations to thrive.
Our client Fraser Simpson at Wellcome embodies this thinking. Not only does it permeate his approach to leading the Ethics, Governance and Compliance team at Wellcome, but he’s been living it in his willingness to take a creative risk with Connie.
What would Connie do?
For the launch of Wellcome’s new Code of Ethics, Fraser wanted to increase colleague engagement, and to shift mindsets by making an emotional connection with ethics and integrity.
We created ‘Connie’ - a friendly puppet that represents every employee’s own conscience.
The core campaign message – pause, think, and ask: “What would Connie do?” – reinforces simple yet impactful behaviours.
It’s underpinned by meaningful thinking about human motivation and behaviour.
It connects with the widest possible audience. Connie’s persona ensures inclusivity, and the campaign is designed to be accessible through print, braille, podcast and audio-described videos. It presents moral dilemmas safely and supportively, encouraging employees to reflect on their actions without feeling judged.
And it’s working! There has been an incredibly positive response both within Wellcome and internationally outside the organisation too.
- “An inspired way to bring ethics to life, making it front of mind and easy to talk about.”
- “Connie creates a talking point. It’s hard not to raise a smile at a pink haired puppet!”
- “Connie brought in a real sense of fun, much needed in compliance!”
Find out more about the campaign here:
www.acteoncommunication.com/case-studies/meet-connie-your-conscience/
And keep your fingers crossed for Connie in the awards!…
Engage Awards: engageawards.com/2024-engage-awards-finalists
European Compliance and Ethics Conference: ecec-community.com
