2012 Winners & Shortlists

The Campaign

World Innovation Summit for Education – WISE is an initiative of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, launched under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser in Doha (Qatar). It brings together worldwide thought-leaders and pioneering practitioners to foster new collaborations and develop innovative solutions with the goal of inspiring creative change in education. Our agency implemented a tailored multi-country public relations campaign reaching 45 countries in 2011. WISE Summit took place in Doha on November 1-3, 2011. Two main challenges were: involve all main international media to be actors on WISE more than reporters. Main message: media have a major role to play. Our objective was to involve all main media on Education topic, no space for global Education on editorials. Arab spring was also integrated on WISE program. PR strategy: focus on national/business newspapers, websites, TV partnerships and education media in 45 countries. We also have to change the positioning from WISE Summit to WISE Initiative by promoting WISE achievements during the year: WISE Prize, WISE Awards laureates, etc.. Main outcomes: 97 media, 119 journalists from 45 countries attended the Summit; 212 interviews, 1693 coverage since February 2011, 25% from UAE, 88% from business media.

The Brief

Objectives were to reinforce awareness on WISE Initiative rebranding as an around-a-year initiative and further set education as the cornerstone of all progress. Criteria of success were based on perfect knowledge of each identified and targeted local market educational challenges and general media. This resulted in Fleishman-Hillard designing and implementing a tailored multi-country public relations campaign reaching 45 countries including North Africa, Egypt, UAE and Qatar. We recommended qualified high level media specialists to cover WISE Initiative and increase their interest by delivering tailored messages and stories.

Results

1. Increase quality of the coverage: 75% media productivity versus 60% last year 2. Secure quality of general media on site: 97 international on site, with 90% of international press agencies, 3. Educate on WISE Initiative more than only WISE Summit: 90% quoted on the press revue 4. Get more quotes from speakers & attendees: 212 interviews on site versus 90 in 2010, quotes in 65% of onsite coverage 5. Improve on site actions: creation of daily briefing conference (average of 70% attendance), 3 soap box sessions, 3 daily newsletters, 1 welcome reception, 3 press conferences 6. Improve core media coverage: 686 versus 372 in 2010 7. Increase general media than education ones: 88% of articles on general media on 45 countries 8. Increase coverage volume with PR newswire: 1686 hits versus 588 in 2010 9. Media circulation: 380M versus 44M in 2010 10. PR/Adversting equivalent: 6,5M€ versus 5,1M€

Execution

A tailored international PR campaign featuring major high points: - Organization of WISE Award press trips, one in Brazil, the other in Morocco - Announcement of the WISE Awards and WISE PRIZE as of February 2011 - Announcement of the WISE BOOK - Selection and invitation of 100 high level journalists from 45 countries to attend WISE Summit from December 7 to 9. Organization of an onsite PR activity programme containing a roundtable, a media cocktail, 4 press conferences, 4 topical press points/SOAP Box,daily media briefings, a high level session, a visit to Education City and an invitation to the Gala Dinner for a selection of journalists. More than 27 international consultants onsite. - Media follow-up - Creation of several reports dedicated to the client and to Her Highness Office, a 2010/2011 comparison and results analysis.

The Situation

PR was important to reach & sensitive thought leaders of 45 countries on the importance of Education, not only on an holistic way, but also on a pragmatic & economical way. Promote WISE achievements is unique, as it is a concrete achievement of an international collaborative work with concreate & constructive results on Eduaction. PR campaign was chosen because it is the way were all education actors including media can express themselves. This PR campaign also unified several canals such as digital actions, social community development, events, press trips, interviews, partnerships and permit to build long term relationships for future achievements.

The Strategy

Our PR agency elaborated a strategy based on highlighting key WISE events during the year and creating a momentum around WISE Summit: 3 special Events before WISE Summit (WISE presence at WEF China, 3 press trips on WISE Awards, 1 Arab round table, 3 VVIPs events). Key activities supported by the development of a wide range of PR tools and tactics designed to inform, shape a favorable opinion and call to action: 5 press releases, 6 Newsletters before WISE Summit (in 10 languages), 3 press releases & 3 daily newsletters during WISE Summit, Press kit, invitations, dedicated messages platform, interviews, round tables, etc. Managed centrally from our office in Paris, the WISE – World Innovation Summit for Education campaign -involved over 110 consultants from our agency offices spread out all over the world. During the summit, 27 consultants provided the 120-plus attending journalists and bloggers with tailored stories, programs and 212 interviews set up.