The Opportunity

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology Energy Initiative (MITEI), MIT’s hub for energy research, education, and outreach, partnered with the Belfort Group (BG) to facilitate the release of a highly anticipated report on energy storage technologies. The Future of Storage report, a culmination of insights from globally recognized engineers, chemists, economists, and policy experts, outlined strategies for decarbonizing the global power grid and addressing climate change. MITEI aimed not only to disseminate the report widely but also to ensure comprehension among key audiences, including regulators and lawmakers in both American and foreign governments.

The Strategy

In preparation for the report’s launch, BG engaged in extensive intakes with the authors of the report to develop a comprehensive strategy. The first step involved crafting nuanced personas to categorize the diverse audiences for the report and devising tailored approaches to reach them effectively. Subsequently, BG formulated media-friendly messaging, pitches, and briefing materials to distill the report’s key takeaways into packages tailored for specific outlets, social media platforms, and high-level meetings. BG’s Creative team then brought this strategy to life through the production of a three-minute animated video summarizing the report’s findings for widespread distribution.

Ensuring that the video accurately represented the complex findings of the report in an engaging and accessible manner was the key objective for this portion of the project. A succinct yet detailed and engaging script paired with compelling illustrative visuals truly captured the essence of the report’s recommendations and highlighted the strengths of animation as a medium.

Simultaneously, a dedicated landing page was created to serve as the central hub for all information related to the Future of Storage report. This landing page was designed to be user-friendly, offering easy navigation and comprehensive access to the report, the animated video, and supplementary materials. The page also incorporated interactive elements to encourage audience engagement, such as downloadable resources, infographics, and links to related content.

The Results

The rollout of MITEI’s Future of Storage report proved to be a tremendous success with media coverage in outlets such as The Washington Post, Boston NPR station WBUR, and a bevy of energy industry publications, and more. Beyond media exposure, the report was introduced to key stakeholders, including regulators, lawmakers, and their staffs, through strategic receptions in Washington, DC, and beyond. The animated video and landing page played a pivotal role in this success, both serving as a concise and visually engaging tool to communicate the report’s essential findings to diverse audiences across channels and mediums.