INVITATION
WonkComms by Soapbox, The Think Tank Lab and More in Common cordially invite you to an in-person event:
WonkComms Breakfast Club: Polling for impact — why think tanks should do it, and how to do it well
When: Wednesday, February 18th, 2026, 9:00–10:00, an optional 30-minute networking session will immediately follow.
Where: Publix, Hermannstr. 90, 12051 Berlin, Germany
Please register for the event HERE by February 13 2026.
Polling can be one of the most powerful tools in a think tank communicator’s toolkit — but it can also be expensive, complex and high-risk if the story gets lost (or worse, gets twisted).
So when and how should think tanks conduct polling? And what does it take to turn data into communication that actually lands with journalists, decision-makers and the public?
Our conversation will be kickstarted by contributions from More in Common and the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), drawing on many years of polling experience and lessons learned from doing this work in real time.
We’ll cover:
- Why polling can strengthen advocacy and communications for think tanks
- How to design and run a polling project (from goals and questionnaires to fieldwork and data digestion)
- How to spot the story in the data — and avoid drowning audiences
- Data visualization that clarifies, not overwhelms
- Media strategy: outreach, timing and creating a “hook” that travels
- Localising polling data so it resonates with cross-market audiences
- Communicating responsibly across different audiences — and handling misinterpretation
Coffee, croissants and comms — what could be a better start to your morning?
Speakers:
Andreas Bock: Head of Communications, European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR)
Ana Lob: Policy & Communications Associate, More in Common
Moderated by Wiebke Ewering: Senior Communications Associate More In Common
Seats will be allocated on a first come, first serve basis. Please forward this invitation to any friends and colleagues who you think might be interested.
If you cannot join us for this session, don’t worry, there will be further WonkComms Breakfast Clubs hosted at other Berlin think tanks and foundations this year. Please follow WonkComms and the Think Tank Lab on LinkedIn for further announcements. In the meantime, please feel free to get in touch to offer suggestions for future topics and speakers.
For any questions, please contact John Schwartz (john.schwartz@designbysoapbox.com) or the Think Tank Lab team (hello@thinktanklab.org).
We look forward to seeing you soon!
Kind regards,
Rosa, Corinna, and Veranika
from the Think Tank Lab
––––
About WonkComms Breakfast Clubs: WonkComms is a global network of think tank communications professionals who share ideas and best practices. Launched in the UK in 2013, the community now stretches across the USA, Latin America and Germany. Our Breakfast Clubs are informal events on issues that matter to comms professionals like you —always practical, always useful and always with coffee. The WonkComms Breakfast Club Berlin is organized by Soapbox and the Think Tank Lab.