Tag Archives: media

University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL)

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The Challenge: CISL had a groundbreaking report on its hands that outlined a practical pathway to building effective insurance schemes for those vulnerable to climate risk. The authors wanted to ensure it had a tangible policy impact – specifically at the Third Financing for Development Conference (FFD3) in Addis Ababa in July 2015.

Our Approach: We supported CISL in writing a policy brief that summarised the report’s key findings, which we recommended releasing at the International Insurance Summit in New York, which industry leaders and key UN decision makers would attend. We released the policy brief to journalists under an embargo that lifted during the report author’s presentation at the IIS.

Outcomes: Media coverage that hit during the week of the policy brief launch was read and commented on by influential leaders in the insurance industry, and an in-depth BBC article was read and praised by UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon. Following media attention, Dr Ana Gonzalez Pelaez, co-author of report, was invited onto a high level panel at the FFD3 conference, to present her findings and recommendations. The full report went live in conjunction with her panel session and to date the report has been covered by The Guardian, Reuters, Inter Press Service, SciDev and Devex, in addition to the BBC.

CGIAR

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The Challenge: For every $1 invested in agricultural research, it is estimated that $9 worth of food is produced in the developing countries where it is needed most. CGIAR is the largest publicly funded agricultural research network in the world, and Marchmont has been conducting media outreach on their behalf since 2013, through press offices, media retainers, opinion articles and targeted media campaigns.

Our Approach: To make CGIAR’s work as attractive to the media as possible, it has been essential first to align it to the external news agenda – from climate change and migration to, more recently, Covid-19. We then work to accurately and sensitively translate relevant scientific topics into more media-facing pitches and commentary. Marchmont has supported CGIAR around key events including Climate Week, the UN climate talks and the World Food Prize, as well as key launches of CGIAR initiatives such as their Crops to End Hunger initiative and their Covid-19 Hub.

Outcomes: Marchmont has placed CGIAR’s work in a range of top tier and specialist media outlets such as the Guardian, Telegraph, Independent, BBC, La Tribune, National Geographic, NPR, Reuters, ABC, Financial Times, Euractiv, Euronews, World Economic Forum, Eco-Business, Inter Press Service, Diplomatic Courier, The Conversation and AllAfrica. Marchmont also produced an introductory video of CGIAR’s work:

The Malabo Montpellier Panel

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The Challenge: The Malabo Montpellier Panel seeks to influence European and African donors on effective ways to support poverty reduction through investment in sustainable African agriculture. Its bi-annual reports provide evidence and analysis of key topics such as soil management, climate change, energy, innovation and livestock. Their aim is to reach senior policy makers and key stakeholders, beyond just the scientific community, and demonstrate how and why they may provide agricultural support.

Our Approach: The Marchmont team has worked with the Malabo Montpellier Panel (and its predecessor) since 2011 to elevate their visibility and influence. Ahead of each report, Marchmont prepares a detailed outreach plan, including media materials, story angles, case studies and external news hooks. We then conduct embargoed media outreach ahead of each launch date and positioning panel members via the drafting of opinion editorials.

Outcomes: The Panel’s report launches have been covered extensively over the years by top-tier global outlets and a wide range of African and specialist outlets as well. A sampling of this coverage has included the Guardian, BBC, Reuters, Financial Times, Deutsche Welle, Xinhua, CNBC Africa, Christian Science Monitor, Thomson Reuters Foundation, The Conversation, Forbes Africa, Quartz Africa, Euractiv, Voice of America, El Pais, CGTN, SciDev, Inter Press Service, AllAfrica, Jeune Afrique, Business Daily Africa, The Africa Report, Devex and Food Tank along with multiple interviews with the BBC and CNBC Africa.

International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)

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The Challenge: Translating and disseminating world-class policy research is vital if it is to be understood and actionable by more general audiences.  IFPRI’s aim is to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition in developing countries.

Our Approach: Marchmont has worked with IFPRI on a variety of assignments including running the press office at their 2014 global “resilience” conference in Ethiopia and helping them launch their report “Food Security in a World of Natural Resource Scarcity” by creating an animated video and infographic alongside media outreach.  We have also run various workshops for them including a “Communications 101” workshop and most recently a “Writing for the web” workshop for their in-house communications team in Washington DC.

Outcomes: In addition to consistently positive feedback from workshop participants, we also secured a number of top-tier media placements including the Wall Street Journal,  The Telegraph, the Financial Times, SciDev.Net,  and Reuters AlertNet.

Future Earth

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The Challenge: As the world faces more complex and interconnected challenges, the global research agenda must become ‘fit for purpose’ to respond quickly and comprehensively.

Our Approach: Marchmont helped Future Earth to launch a series of its research reports including its “Global Carbon Budget” report and its “Strategic Research Agenda”, which outlines the need for a step-change in global research for sustainable development. We helped shape the reports’ scientific language and concepts into more media-facing messages and developed a rang of visuals to support online promotion.  When pitching the media, we connected these agenda items to existing news events, such as the Ebola crisis and the UN climate talks.

Outcomes: The report received coverage from a range of top-tier media including the Guardian, BBC, Reuters, Huffington Post, Business Fights Poverty and Devex.

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