New Scientist Live 2024: making science accessible and celebrated across the UK and beyond
New Scientist Live is one of Europe’s most iconic science and technology events. A multi award winner, thousands of science enthusiasts gather over three days each year to explore the latest and greatest in science, technology and education. Big Top was excited to manage New Scientist Live’s PR for the second year, delivering a campaign that ticked every objective, expanded awareness and attracted new audiences.
Working closely with the team at New Scientist Live, our primary objective was to build on the foundations laid in 2024 to drive national and regional / local / hyperlocal awareness and excitement for the event.
Our response was a multi-tiered campaign strategy, designed to ignite interest and highlight New Scientist Live’s unparalleled content for science enthusiasts of all ages. Here’s how we did it:
Focused on quality over quantity, securing coverage in Tier 1 titles including The Guardian, Daily Telegraph and Newsweek, which the New Scientist Live audience regularly consumes.
Engaged with new and returning audiences through quality features, listings, competitions and influencer content to boost ticket sales and enhance exhibitor and sponsor ROI.
Optimised the newsworthiness of New Scientist Live’s amazing speaker line up - crafting targeted and exclusive interview pitches that grabbed the attention of national journalists - Kimberley Wilson, Venki Ramakrishnan, Turi King, Chris Thorogood and Sian Harding were pivotal in attracting such incredibly and broad media interest.
Partnered with New Scientist Live speakers at Dogs Trust to create a press story from its late-breaking statistics about introducing dogs and cats in the home. We secured over 200 pieces of national and nationwide coverage for this story thanks to a syndication with the Press Association.
Leveraged World Space Week putting New Scientist Live in the spotlight with space and science publications.
Secured the attendance of Jeremy Benson, Deputy Director of STEM Education and Curriculum Strategy at the Schools Group, on New Scientist Live’s Schools Day underscoring the event’s commitment to educational outreach.
So, how did we do?
The results of our campaign were remarkable, contributing to the most successful New Scientist Live to date. Here’s a look at the numbers:
284 pieces across national, regional, podcast, and online outlets, excluding New Scientist's own coverage.
21 pieces of national coverage, appearing in major outlets such as The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Sun, Daily Express, Daily Mail, Newsweek, Evening Standard, The Independent, iNews, Daily Star, and The Mirror.
13 pre-event interviews with high-profile speakers, providing a consistent stream of pre-event buzz.
Podcast coverage on The Week Junior, Mindscape, and The Empty Space Inbetween.
Wide reaching pre-event coverage in listings media, as well as multiple ticket giveaway opportunities.
On site, we managed the press office and secured attendance from 42 high-quality journalists as well as:
Providing personalised tours and support, ensuring journalists and influencers experienced the best of the event
Offered exhibitors and sponsors access to media representatives, creating valuable press moments
Coordinated exclusive interviews with key speakers, adding depth and media-friendly moments to the event’s coverage
This year’s campaign was a resounding success, generating quality media coverage across our client’s wish list of outlets and helping to drive ticket sales, brand awareness and anticipation. We can’t wait to build on it further in 2025.