Pluralizing AcceptanceProject dissemination tips

First meeting 8-9 July 2010

European University InstituteFlorence, Italy

Terry Martin, advisory board member - media

ROBERT SCHUMAN CENTRE FOR ADVANCED STUDIES

Contents

I. Project Identity issues

II. Audience considerations

III. Communication tools

IV. Recommendations

ROBERT SCHUMAN CENTRE FOR ADVANCED STUDIES

I. Project Identity Communication:

Liabilities

• Lack of brand recognition

• Ad-hoc nature

• Unknown quantity - Who are these people?

- What’s their agenda?

• Provocative title/logo

Assets

• High-profile topic

• High-profile sponsor (EU)

• Academically authoritative

• Multinational perspective

• Multilingual output

• Provocative title/logo

ROBERT SCHUMAN CENTRE FOR ADVANCED STUDIES

Project Identity Logo

Graphic impact

• color version upbeat, harmonious

• symbolically ambiguous (crescent?)

Textual resonance• provocative, morally imperative tone • implores interlocutor to accept undefined “ism”• slightly paradoxical

ROBERT SCHUMAN CENTRE FOR ADVANCED STUDIES

Clarify lead question

What key question is your research trying to answer?

A. How can social cohesion be enhanced while respecting ethnic, religious and cultural plurality? or

B. How much cultural diversity can be accommodated?

ROBERT SCHUMAN CENTRE FOR ADVANCED STUDIES

Project Identity

II. Audience Considerations

ROBERT SCHUMAN CENTRE FOR ADVANCED STUDIES

The media ask:

•What’s new? (news value - think headline)

•Says who? (Is source known? reliable? familiar to our audience?)

•What’s the evidence?

- How do we know this? How big was the sample? Think numbers!)

•Who cares?

(explain why your findings matter to whom)

Of relevance to general audience?

Audience Considerations

Policymakers ask:

• What does your research tell me about the policy problem

I am dealing with? a. in my constituency b. elsewhere

• Does evidence challenge or support my (partisan) views?

• Are current policies working, not working?

• Can I afford to ignore this research?

• How should my office respond to this policy challenge?

(recommendations)

ROBERT SCHUMAN CENTRE FOR ADVANCED STUDIES

III. Communication Tools•Launch events (15 generating reports and pictures for website) •Website (multilingual)•Discussion groups (1 per case study in each country 15 x 2 = 30)•Policy briefs (multilingual 1 per country = 15 + 3 regional (+ final PB?))•Regional workshops (3 generating reports and pictures for website) •Newsletters (quarterly, 39-month project = +/- 11)

•“Toolkit of Tolerance Indicators” •“State of the Art Report on Tolerance and Cultural Diversity in Europe” •“Handbook on Ideas on Diversity and Tolerance in Europe”•Final conference and report

ROBERT SCHUMAN CENTRE FOR ADVANCED STUDIES

Communication ToolsFlyer• Utilize depliant and adapt to flyer format for print version• “Pastel People” watermark good (but avoid color logo overlay)• Think of it as a “teaser” – designed to arouse interest – 1st point of

contact – key branding tool – send to every contact of potential interest who did not receive earlier version

Brochure • Adapt “project identity” document to brochure format – a follow-up

instrument – aimed at solidifying relationship with contact – opportunity to solicit participatory interest

Website• If content behind clickable icons/buttons still forthcoming, tease

expectations.• Display EU flag with “European Research Area” prominently at top of

pageROBERT SCHUMAN CENTRE FOR ADVANCED STUDIES

Communication Tools

Distribution of labor

All partners are equally involved in the empirical

work (Case studies) to be undertaken in the project.

And all partners are also equally involved

in the dissemination strategy.

-- Annex 1, Section B.2.3 of

ROBERT SCHUMAN CENTRE FOR ADVANCED STUDIES

IV. Recommendations

•Stress EU credentials to attract interest (door-opener)

•Prioritize collection and dissemination of

empirical comparative data

•Plan meaningful charts, graphs, maps

•Headline “Tolerance Indicators”

(benchmarking capability)•Feed legislative cycles and organs (timely and targeted dissemination)•Avoid terms like “deliverables” in external communications

ROBERT SCHUMAN CENTRE FOR ADVANCED STUDIES

ROBERT SCHUMAN CENTRE FOR ADVANCED STUDIES