A presentation held at ICES Marine Science Communicators' networkin meeting in Copenhagen 22.9.2015. Topic: highlights of the Gulf of Finland Year 2014 communications and why they worked.

1. Gulf of Finland Year 2014
3 success stories of communication
+ 1 challenge
Saara Reinimäki
Finnish Environment Institute SYKE
MARINE SCIENCE COMMUNICATORS’
NETWORKING MEETING
22.9.2015

2. Finnish Environment Institute SYKE &
Marine Research Centre
2
● Research institute and
centre for environmental
expertise
● Part of Finland's national
environmental
administration
● Marine Research Centre
○ Aranda
○ Monitoring & research
○ Coordinating FINMARI
● For more information:
www.syke.fi
©Lumiaro

3. ● A joint theme year of Finland, Russia
and Estonia
○ Scientific co-operation:
monitoring, data-exchange,
seminars
○ Environmental education
○ Networking of researchers,
decision-makers, NGO’s
● More information:
www.gof2014.fi
@GoFY2014 #gofy2014
www.facebook.com/gof2014
3
Gulf of Finland Year 2014 -project

4. ● Ensimmäinen taso
○ toinen taso
• kolmas taso
4
Otsikko Arial Black 24pt sininen
1. Networks

5. ● Ensimmäinen taso
○ toinen taso
• kolmas taso
5
Otsikko Arial Black 24pt sininen
Why a success?
Effective way to spread the messages and materials, reach new
audiences, get involvement.
Possible drawback: messages can get diluted or twisted.
Developed networks in the project:
• Public Councils (public, private sector, NGO’s, representatives
of coastal cities & municipalities)
• Environmental educators network (Finnish & international)
• Research institutes, researches and experts
• The Baltic Sea communicators network in Finland

6. 6
2. Events
(Lots and lots of them,to different
audiences with different content)

7. 7
Why a success?
- Easier to execute with networks & partners,
eventhough take time & effort.
- Possibility to add an exciting, surprising element to
facts and research-based information.
- Possibility to make an impact through an
experience.

8. 8
3. Old content,
new format?
©Yhteishyvä

9. 9
Over 2 million (~36%) Finns received
information about the Gulf of Finland
through a customer loyalty magazine
”Yhteishyvä” during 2014.
The stories were short & plain focusing on
challenges of the Gulf.
Content cooperation even without new
research infomation was a success. The
stories were published in 5 numbers
throughout the year.
©Yhteishyvä

10. 10
© Juha Flinkman
A personality test ”which creature of the Gulf
of Finland you are?” got over 12 000 users
activated within 2 months. Test was based
on real features of the creatures with a
humouristic twist:
http://yle.fi/aihe/artikkeli/2015/07/01/upottaudu-
itamereen-mika-suomenlahden-elio-olet
Test was done & published in cooperation
with YLE, a public service broadcasting
company, which marketed the test
aggressively as a part of their Baltic Sea
theme month.

11. 11
© Juha Flinkman
Questions like: ”describe your diet”, ”where
& how do you like to spend your time”,
”when do your romantic feelings arise?”
created a personal connection to the benthic
creatures and a wish to know more about
them.
Also a great opportunity to link & lead to
other relevant content about the subject.

12. 12
© Juha Flinkman
”Congratulations! You are a mudsnail!”
Possibility to share your result & invite
others to test themselves.
Many did the test several times to find
out more about the creatures.

13. 13
1. Challenge:
Local understanding

14. 14
Thank you!
Effective communication requires understaning of
the culture and language.
With international projects that means you need a
local counterpart / network to help to disseminate
info & materials, to multiply the local success
stories into international ones.
Languages matter. Nothing beats the mother
tongue.