Today’s social media platforms can reach people directly in a way that wasn’t possible a decade ago. Yet, the fact remains: if you want to influence a lot of people, nothing beats a good write-up in a major news outlet. So, as news cycles get shorter and stories break 280 characters at a time, how do think tanks – not typically known for our off-the-cuff analyses or quick turnarounds – fit in?
WonkComms Breakfast Clubs are a series of informal events that bring together think tank comms professionals to discuss issues of common interest and collectively tackle questions like these.
Please join us as we explore the ways that think tank communicators can fit in with the news cycle and work at a similar pace to journalists where it counts. We’ll discuss how to construct press releases that dovetail with the news agenda and current events. And we’ll assess approaches to communicating with journalists that help to maximize your chances of good coverage.
Our conversation will be kickstarted by Claudia Wessling and Anja Wehler-Schöck. Claudia will share lessons from MERICS’s work with news organizations and her previous work as a journalist. Anja will discuss the ways that she uses think tank work in her role as international editor at Tagesspiegel.
Coffee, croissants, and comms – what could be a better start to your morning?
Speakers: Claudia Wessling Director Communications and Publications, Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS)
Anja Wehler-Schöck International Editor, Tagesspiegel
Moderator: Wiebke Ewering Head of Communications, German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP)
Please register for the meeting here by November 11, 2024. And, please forward this invitation to any friends and colleagues 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 in 2025.
Please follow Think Tank Lab and WonkComms on LinkedIn for further announcements. In the meantime, please feel free to get in touch to offer suggestions for future topics and speakers.
We look forward to seeing you soon!