7. Ideas Campaign

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Social media proved to be a powerful engagement tool during the Ideas Campaign and helped create a network of support and generate media interest, not only in Ireland but around the world. The independent citizens’ campaign, designed to harness ideas for Irish economic recovery and renewal, was initiated by AMAS and led by Managing Director Aileen O’Toole. With no advertising budget, the campaign put the Barack Obama campaign toolkit – PR, volunteerism and online – to the test in an Irish context. Social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter and an enthusiastic blogosphere carried the campaign messages and enlisted supporters, contributors and opinion formers. Apart from driving traffic and action on the campaign website, www.ideascampaign.ie, social media also helped stimulate debate on the campaign theme of seeking solutions to our economic problems. From its launch on 3 March to the deadline for the submission of ideas on 31 March, the levels of interaction and the campaign’s international reach grew. The site attracted close on 48,000 visits during that period, with 17% of traffic coming from outside of Ireland and primarily from the Irish diaspora. While the UK and the US dominated, traffic was recorded from 116 countries including China , where bloggers commented enthusiastically on the campaign. Social media also led to considerable international media interest about the story of this grassroots’ citizens’ campaign.

Apart from extensive Irish coverage, it was featured on TV, radio, print and online in Australia , the US and many European countries, including the UK , Sweden and Belgium .

“The Ideas Campaign showed that social media can be an important part of the communications mix,” said Aileen O’Toole. “It helped us reach audiences that would have proven difficult, or very expensive, to reach through other channels. Social media involves an investment in time, rather than money. When combined with PR, it can be a potent and effective communications channel.”

For more about the campaign, and to download the action plan, visit www.ideascampaign.ie

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