GCOS communication strategy SC-25 Hangzhou, China

GCOS communication strategy

What happened so far February 2017: Start collaboration with learning strategy international (lsi) March 2017: Workshop on GCOS communication strategy within WMO April 2017: New GCOS communication strategy drafted June 2017: New GCOS website goes live July 2017: Lenticular postcards for 25th anniversary of GCOS as case study for new communication strategy …And new WMO/ClW staff supporting communication

Target audience User (expert) community Recognized as peers Members of a shared network Shared mission to improve and strengthen climate science

Policy makers (Member states) Media Secondary audiences Donors Policy makers (Member states) Media GCOS does not seek to address the general public directly.

Key messages The GCOS Implementation Plan Emphasize who we are, what we do, and why: GCOS is a coordinating body, which gives technical guidance on climate observations. GCOS’s work generates results in support of other organizations. Use key milestones and achievements to demonstrate the difference GCOS has made over the past 25 years and what the 2016 Implementation Plan intends to achieve. Observations – the bedrock on which all other aspects on climate change are founded; the basis for rational decision-making. Continuous progress made in the way that observing systems are monitored and information is reported and retained. International organization of observing systems has been strengthened, especially for the atmosphere and ocean.

Channels Events GCOS web site GCOS mailing list Social media

New website

Social media Social media activity should be limited unless: it corresponds to a usage already prevalent in the community of experts; one or more partners with a significant social presence commit to amplifying GCOS messages.

Lenticular postcards: case study

Infographs Infographic on cloud properties for the World Meteorological Day - 23 March

Infographs Infographic on Ocean observations for the World Ocean Day 2017

Infographs Infographic on upper air observations and the GCOS Reference Upper Air Network (GRUAN)

Infographs ECV status

Branding Logos Color code “A lot of blue” Fonts (Meta and Ocean Sans) Templates available Please ask for material!

20 Key recommendations Strategy component Recommendation Practical next steps Mission and alignment Explicitly emphasize “why systematic observations matter”. Develop and adopt a tag line that highlights the significance of GCOS for climate science. Target audiences Embed identification of target audience prior to publication into existing knowledge production. Develop an internal procedure and checklist for clearance of knowledge products. Key messages Differentiate levels of information to be disseminated to each target audience, so that a given audience is able to relate. Craft messages free of jargon and emphasize GCOS significance (“why”). Develop a checklist to be used by staff in reviewing products before dissemination. Develop a tool kit (one-page fact sheets, infographics) based on the Implementation Plan 2016, suitable for web and print dissemination. Channels The revamped web site must be easy to use. Web content should be a mix of literature (Implementation Plan, status reports, short case studies etc.) and audio-visuals (short video clips long, photo galleries, powerpoint etc.). Revise the GCOS newsletter and use it for special campaigns, during key events and/or conferences. Consistency in branding and visual identity. Develop a workflow for staff to publish resources. Develop a set of products with a long shelf-life that can be disseminated at key conferences – bookmarks, posters, postcards, calendars. Design a GCOS newsletter template and ensure that sign-up is prominent on GCOS web site. Review visual identify and develop tool kit branding, including for partnerships and campaigns.

20 Key recommendations Strategy component Recommendation Practical next steps Resources An initial investment is required to develop materials. Think long-term – to sustain activity that will ensure currency and impact both human and financial resources will be required. Secure commitment from governance to develop and support communication strategy. Designate a communication focal point (20% FTE minimum) to monitor effective implementation of the strategy and provide communication support. A photo library is maintained by the focal point and permission from partners obtained on use of photos. Secure a core communication budget to finance the initial investment and then a limited set of activities that can be sustained over time. Fundraise for event-driven campaigns to augment reach and multiply impact for priority issues. Monitoring for impact To gauge success of the strategy you need to be able to monitor it. Communication strategy also helps measure the overall effectiveness of the work of GCOS. Assign regular collection of analytics from web, social media, and events. Develop a simple dashboard tracking communication activity using industry standards (Google Analytics) and assign staff to update it on a regular basis and track key performance indicators (KPI). Develop an annual online questionnaire to evaluate effectiveness of web site. Review communication activities and monitoring annually to identify actionable recommendations for improvement and sustainability. Develop an edition of the newsletter to announce the new web site and use it to test the efficacy of GCOS mailing list.

20 Key recommendations Strategy component Recommendation Practical next steps Campaigns and partnerships Develop event-driven campaigns around both specialized (technical) conferences and workshops and public-facing fora (COP, etc.). Collaborate with partners to organize joint workshops, deliver joint statements and/or disseminate messages around a specific event or campaign. Identify 3 to 4 key events/conferences that you will be engaging in over the next two years. Pre-prepare any messages you would like to take to these conferences

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