COP28: How to create impactful content
This December the world's gaze will fall on Dubai and COP28 - the annual UN climate talks.
Following a year in which we have witnessed the devastating impacts of climate change across the globe, the world will be watching closely.
For government agencies, industry organisations, and not-for-profit organisations, COP28 will be an opportunity to not only join the conversation but to lead it.
Sharing stories clearly and concisely about progress and plans will be key to engaging audiences.
Give COP28 more than 28 days notice
COP28 is two months away. The ideal time to start planning? At least a month ago - but it’s not too late.
There are a lot of moving parts to an event, from live streaming to on the ground interviews. The key to maximising your event coverage is organising these well in advance.
Set overall goals before starting content production
Start by understanding the global reach and diversity of COP28's participants both offline and online. Dive into last year's COP27 report to ensure your content resonates with its vast audience.
Before even coming up with an idea, define your goals. What message do you want to get across? How will you measure the success of your content against these? Create a plan for what content you want to publish before, during and after the event. Do you have enough resources? Or do you need a third-party to help create, publish and analyse your content?
Prepare content with context in mind
With two months to go, COP28 is on everyone’s minds, feeds and emails.
Be part of that conversation. COP isn't just an event; it's a dialogue. Familiarise yourself with the central topics and questions being addressed to guide your content plan, and stay relevant.
This year’s event marks a halfway point. It has been seven years since the Paris Climate Agreement was mandated. There are seven years left until 2030 to cut emissions by roughly 50%.
It’s also ushering in the first global stocktake - holding companies and stakeholders accountable to the Paris Agreement, and looking at progress made worldwide.
Remember, each piece of content should link back to your strategy. Are you trying to shape the narrative or be part of it?
A note of caution, greenwashing has been and will continue to be called out, so make sure your content is authentic. Check out our guide to how to write about sustainably without greenwashing.
Organise your team, schedule and resources in advance
Plan your daily coverage. Who should you interview? Which panels and discussions are a must-attend? Allocating time for candid captures can give your coverage a dynamic feel, showing not just the proceedings but the ambiance and energy.
Unable to attend? Back at HQ working away on content? Participants have access to the COP28 virtual platform to watch and join meetings. For the non-attendees, keep one eye on the COP28 YouTube channel and the other organisations like The Financial Times for their own public live streams.
COP28 has arrived! Time to execute the content plan
With a clear plan in place, your team can work in tandem, producing live updates, interviews, and coverage. Spread the load to avoid burdening one team member.
When the final speaker puts that mic down, a new campaign begins.
You should have a wealth of material that can feed into longer form video and articles – and a bit more time to produce it.
Events take a great deal of effort and investment. You’ve grown an audience in the run-up and throughout, collected new ideas and learnings, and generated plenty of new visual content (hopefully).
All too often content teams collapse post-event, inadvertently losing all the momentum they’ve built. After sinking a few celebratory cordials and sleeping for 24 hours, it’s time to start planning the post event follow-ups.
Make an impact
We partner with organisations that have important stories to tell. Here are a few more of The Content Engine’s favourite pieces of content from past COP conferences, that may inspire your future approach.
Are you ready to share your important stories on a global stage? We help organisations impact audiences at COP every year - get in touch to see how we can help you.