Explaining technology by turning complex science into everyday ideas
Client
European Trade bodies (CropLife and EuropaBio) representing agricultural biotechnology in Europe (ABE).
Objectives:
Turn complex science into everyday ideas by explaining:
- why biotechnology was an exciting development in agriculture, and
- how it had many applications for Europe’s farmers in terms of more sustainable agriculture, higher yields and protection againstpests
Challenge
- diverse audiences: the media, politicians, regulators, other trade associations and Europe-wide farming groups
- their geographically widespread locations across Europe,
- the nature of the technology,
- the need to produce communications that generated ‘trust’ and
- the necessity of working in numerous member state languages
Such was the number of challenges that a low-cost but highly effective communications channel was needed that would meet all these requirements.
Personal briefings or district-by-district events would have been ideal, but this would have involved significant cost in people, time and money.
Activity/Approach
A DVD was produced which would tell a simple and informative story. It would feature and be narrated - not by industry figures - but by farmers, who had first-hand knowledge both of cultivation and of product benefits.
It was important to produce a programme that did not look like a corporate video. Research had shown that viewers were much more likely to listen to and believe in the contents than if standard corporate video techniques had been used. Subtitling in a number of languages was a further cost-effective option.
Results
This DVD for the biotech industry successfully dealt with the differing needs of its target audiences – from the media to politicians to farmers - and was produced in a way that appealed to differing cultures across Europe. The initial production of DVDs ran out in days and the product run eventually ran into thousands.
Its innovative appeal meant that it was eventually used around the globe – despite its original target being Europeans.
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