The Global South: “Where purpose is more than a buzzword”

Ayesha R. Nicholls:

Across the globe, communications professionals are being asked to do something new: stand for something.

Whether it is climate action, gender equity, or digital trust, today’s audiences, especially Gen Z and Gen Alpha, demand more than information. They want authenticity, they want values – they want messages that are substantive and impactful.

However, in the Caribbean, purpose-led communication is not a trend. For us, it has long been a necessity and a way of life. When you are communicating in a context marked by limited resources, structural inequality, or repeated climate shocks, every message has to matter.

As a communications strategist based in Barbados, I have had the privilege of working across private and public sectors in the areas of public health, governance, and digital innovation. With my experience, I have seen firsthand how culturally grounded, values-led messaging can shift mindsets, influence policy, and build trust. Even if our budgets are small and timelines are tight, we are getting it done.

In the Global South, we have learned how to make purpose more than a buzzword. In doing so, we have created a playbook that global communicators would do well to learn from.

Start with community, not campaign

One of the most impactful examples of purpose-led communication I have witnessed recently was during Barbados’ introduction of a sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) tax. The goal was clear: reduce consumption, improve health, and curb the island’s rising tide of non-communicable diseases, especially among chidlren and youth.

But success required more than policy. It demanded public buy-in — especially from those most affected.

The messaging strategy moved beyond numbers and evidence to speak to what mattered: our children, our heritage, our future. It used local voices, vivid imagery, and emotional clarity to reframe the narrative — from restriction to protection. And because it was rooted in community, it resonated.

Make the values visible — not just the message, but the method

In purpose-led communication, how you engage matters as much as what you say.

Take, for example, the reform of the school nutrition policy in Barbados. The campaign did not just roll out posters or social media graphics. It brought parents, students, educators, and even vendors into the messaging process.

The result? Messaging that was more than top-down directives — it reflected lived realities, addressed cultural nuances (yes, including the power of our beloved macaroni pie, not to be confused with mac and cheese!), and positioned health as a shared goal, not a government mandate.

This collaborative method built legitimacy and trust — two things no amount of media spend can buy.

From WhatsApp to the World: Women mobilizing through authentic visibility

The Caribbean’s growing movements around women’s entrepreneurship, maritime leadership, and financial freedom are also powerful case studies.

Initiatives like the Women in Maritime Association Caribbean chapter workshop, and the Caribbean Women’s Summit were more than just “inspiring” events in which I was involved as a speaker and moderator, respectively. Those events were platforms where messaging met movement.

There, purpose-led communication looked like:

• Breaking silos across sectors and borders
• Leveraging social media (especially WhatsApp, and Instagram) to keep it real and reachable
• Naming the barriers women face, but also celebrating the boldness with which they overcome them

By connecting the personal, the political, and the professional, these communications efforts are building a new leadership narrative for Caribbean women, and amplifying it beyond the region.

The real message: The Global South isn’t catching up — it’s leading

Purpose-led communication is not about slick campaigns or slogans. It is about aligning what you say with what you stand for — and doing it in a way that builds trust, not just brand recognition.

The Caribbean and wider Global South have been doing this out of necessity for decades. Our communicators are agile, empathetic, and grounded in culture. We know how to mobilize, how to reframe, and how to reach people where they are, simply because we have HAD to.

Now is the time for the global communications industry to look southward – not for charity, but for leadership. After all, from my decades of experience and from my POV: We are not test cases…we are a masterclass!

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About the Author
Ayesha R. Nicholls is a Barbados-based communications strategist and Director of Communications at GovTech Barbados Ltd. She contributes to regional and global efforts around digital transformation, trust, and purpose-led leadership. Ayesha is a Strategic Columnist and a contributing author to The IABC Guide for Practical Business Communication: A Global Standard Primer. Connect with her on LinkedIn.

Written by: Editor