Our Communication strategy included the conception and production of a new, complete project brand portfolio, dedicated and mirror websites, marketing and promotional materials.
Our promotional campaign involved various online and offline channels, outdoor billboards advertising, the broadcasting of video films in 27 Sofia metro stations around the city, print media. Other awareness formats like publication of articles, media announcements, pre-events, mailing campaigns, airing of interviews on national and local radio and TVs were also applied. Thus, we reached an audience of 4,188,422.27 mln people, and 780,377 engagements, the latter exceeding 25 times the targets set, thanks also to the huge contribution from all Consortium members.
Based on the impact analysis surveys data, the following trends have been observed:
- There is a clear trend of recognizable image of the Night.
- The information campaigns during the years were successful in establishing that fact.
- The events contribute to creating an active audience with an interest in science.
- The efforts to generate a loyal, dedicated audience over the years have succeeded.
Despite the challenging situation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we managed to organise the Night in all cities, towns and villages planned. We run the Night in a digital format, organized a first ever for Bulgaria live ERN TV studio where we aired the “National programme”. The core of the programme was on the 27 November 2020, but it continued also for the next 2 days. We balanced entertainment with learning and contributed to enhancing the public recognition and appreciation of researchers and their work.
We conducted an online training to improve the digital communications skills of scientists on ‘Communicating Science in a Virtual Environment’.
The programme was vivid and diverse and included DIY experiments, hands-on science, talks, collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders and providing informal opportunities to meet scientists virtually.
With FRESHER 2020, we succeeded an unprecedented geographical spread of venues across Bulgaria. Together with the project partners we organised the staggering 200 events that took around 103 hours of scientific content streamed mainly on Facebook and YouTube. The Night was delivered on 45 different social media channels of the 20 consortium partners and 30 associate partners. We engaged 505 researchers.
This was a 3-day programme of spectacular science celebrations!
The total of viewers was calculated at 140,740 based on over 3 sec. viewings of the events during the Night by unique visitors, while by the end of the project the produced online content of the Night was viewed by a double number and it is still growing.
European Researchers’ Night 2020 was our most challenging one so far, filled with the most uncertainties and it had to change on the move. Despite the obstacles we had to overcome along the project progress, we continued working and believing in the message of the Night – that behind science (fundamental and applied) there is a lot of effort, imagination and drive, and that achievements of scientists are proof that a solution can be found sooner or later. That science and scientists play a cardinal role in our lives.
In conclusion, we realized that the online broadcast multiplied our audiences, expanded the targets, broadened and diversified the content and the association of science with everyday life, with culture and art. We acquired new knowledge and skills in producing scientific video content. The online participation of researchers from different specialities and locations helped better the main objective of the project – to present researchers as artists, multi-talented people, occupied with interesting and valuable work and worth being in their role, thus attracting young people to research careers and students to scientific projects. Local researchers became accessible nation-wide and their work, labs and results were viewed from all over the country. Smaller towns and distant locations could also enjoy the performances.
The work performed resulted in a huge video content that is available online and can be seen at any time which is a valuable open access result.
