1. Telling everyone what you are up to at Summer Science Media work and parliamentary outreach Bronwyn Friedlander and Danielle Haddad, Press Office
Bron – Introduce team

2. Featured at the top of Timeout’s 31 excellent things to do in London
Bron
The Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition is a major highlight in the press office’s calendar – we look forward to working on it every year
In the run-up to the opening we send out press releases and pitches to attract the interest of all sorts of media – magazines, newspapers, online news sites, TV, radio and podcasts
These are just some of the highlights from last year’s PR campaign
Stats –
• 10 interviews on broadcast (including Al Jazeera, Robert Elms show on BBC London radio, London Live, BBC One Show and Classic FM)
• 28 pieces in the nationals (print and online - including the Evening Standard)
• 8 pieces in consumer and lifestyle
Featured at the top of Timeout’s 31 excellent things to do in London
Features in the Londonist three times throughout the week
Coverage on popular science website IFLS and a Facebook video with 219,648 views
• 20+ pieces in regional papers – such as South Yorkshire Times, The Herald, Derby Telegraph and The Memo

3. Making Summer Science Stand Out!
London’s busy summer cultural calendar – all the major museums and attractions are competing for media attention and visitors
In the run-up to the opening we send out press releases to attract the interest of magazines, newspapers, online news sites, TV, radio & podcasts
The Royal Society press office will identify up to 5 exhibits which we will lead on promoting
If you haven’t been selected we strongly encourage you to work with your institution’s press office – let us know about your plans
Bron
We are up against a lot of competition to carve out space in the media for the Summer Science Exhibition
Summer is a busy time of year with all of the London museums and attractions holding their blockbuster events and competing for coverage!
In the run-up to the opening we send out a number of press releases about Summer Science and individual exhibits to attract the interest of the media
We will identify up to 5 exhibits which we will lead on promoting – we will be in touch shortly after planning day to let you know if you have been chosen for press work
But please don't be discouraged if your exhibit has not been selected – we only limit the number due to resources!
We try to predict which exhibits will be of most interest to the media, but it has happened in past years that some of the exhibitors that attracted the most media attention are those who did their own press work with the help of their press office. We will provide you with template media materials to help you with your press work – plus we are happy to provide advice. Call us / us and we will be happy to chat to you about your plans.

4. How do we achieve press coverage?
We promote the selected exhibits in a number of different ways:
Press releases
Pitching exclusive features and news pieces to media
Targeting specific publications and programmes interested in certain topics e.g. medical stories for the health correspondents
Working with university/ institution press officers – regional media coverage is really important
Danielle
We will promote the selected exhibits in a number of different ways including issuing press releases and pitching exclusive feature and news pieces
The press releases written by the Royal Society press team will be drafted in consultation with you and your press office and we will issue them under embargo in the weeks and days leading up to the Exhibition opening.
In addition, we may approach a few more exhibitors where we think there are particular angles we can pitch to particular contacts e.g. medical stories for the health correspondents
A member of the Royal Society press team will be in touch with you individually if we think we can pitch a one-off specific story based on your exhibit
Work with your university / institution’s press office to promote your exhibition

5. Press Preview – Monday 3 July from 10am
To help attract photographers & broadcasters to the exhibition, we also hold a press preview the day before Summer Science opens
This gives journalists the opportunity to interact with the exhibits and talk to / interview you before we open to the public
The press team will be on hand to help manage press interest on the day. Your press team are welcome to come along on press preview day
Danielle
To help attract photographers and broadcasters to the exhibition we will hold a press preview to give journalists an opportunity visit the exhibits and talk to / interview you before we open to the public. Think visually!
The press preview will take place from 10am on Monday 3 July 2016.
 We will be on hand to manage press and where possible will let you know in advance what journalists to expect on the day who are interested in talking to you
Your press team is welcome to come along on press preview day to support you

6. We can guide you with hints and tips for giving interviews
How can we help you?
We have excellent links with national journalists, particularly the science specialists. Summer Science is an opportunity to meet them, talk to them and raise the profile of your research
We are on hand in the lead up to and during the week of Summer Science to provide advice and support –
We can guide you with hints and tips for giving interviews
We can provide quiet rooms for interviews and landlines for radio interviews
Danielle to cover

7. Bron to cover How can you help us?
We need to know more about your work and your exhibit
What is it going to look like – visuals?
Interactive and hands on
Involving and stimulating
Fun or surprising – e.g. last year a team from the Comet exhibition took their specially created Comet Perfume onto the One Show BBC)
Do you have props that can be taken into TV and radio studios?
How is your science relevant to the people visiting summer science?
Are you publishing any new research or have new results linked to your exhibit that you can talk about during Summer Science?
If you are really keen on doing media work let us know
If you have a visually engaging and interactive exhibit please provide us with images
Bron to cover
We need to go beyond the synopsis of your exhibit so we can develop compelling pitches for journalists
Some of the things we need to know……

8. The public affairs team will be back in touch closer the time
We invite parliamentarians and policy-makers to visit the exhibition throughout the week
We will invite your local Member of Parliament to visit. Not all of them can spare the time to dash across the park but we do our best to work around their schedules
We’ll arrange a photographer and make the photos available to you and your MP. It’s a really nice opportunity to talk to them about the work underway in their constituency and engage them in science
The public affairs team will be back in touch closer the time
Danielle to cover
I am speaking on behalf of our public affairs colleagues who can’t be here today..
Any questions

9. Any questions?