The Eurovision Song Contest

18 July 2017

We have been brushing up on our flag identification skills and probably eaten our bodyweight in borscht, beef stroganoff and Kyiv cake having completed our first year of work with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) as their global PR and social media agency for the Eurovision Song Contest, which this year was in Ukraine.

Premier took on the role to enhance and drive the Eurovision brand across Europe, and the world, working with a myriad of stakeholders and bringing a new approach to the communications strategy and social engagement, achieving superb results.

Premier’s role as the official communications partner has included delivering strategic insight and creative campaigns to the world’s media, managing crisis communications, overseeing press arrangements at events including the press centre, press conferences and red carpet media management, as well as creating and delivering top notch social media strategies and activation management across four platforms to build and enhance the profiles of Eurovision’s Family of Events which include the Junior Eurovision Song Contest and culminates in the Eurovision Song Contest: one of the biggest, global entertainment events of the year!

A year in the making, the Song Contest itself is a hugely complex beast involving 43 participating broadcasters across Europe (and special guests Australia!) as well as live streaming and international TV deals, not to mention the actual production of one of the world’s largest live broadcast events. The comms delivery too has been a complex piece of work which has involved a great deal of liaison with host broadcasters, delegations, international media and all the major social platforms in order to bring together a unified, integrated strategy and an event that’s talked about by everyone, like no other.

And Eurovision garners media attention 365 days a year. From the moment the host city is revealed, Europe’s media keeps a keen eye on how that country is progressing with its preparation for the next edition, while next year’s budding participants begin to reveal themselves. Eurovision never sleeps.

The world’s media descended on Kyiv and Premier’s experience and expertise in dealing with international events really came into its own with the management of the press centre, press conferences, wire agencies and red carpet media making a real difference to the overall media experience at the event.

On social too, a fully comprehensive strategy across four platforms was a huge challenge that we more than rose to. A radical overhaul and change of direction in strategy with more active engagement, creative activations and detailed collaboration directly with Twitter and Snapchat on site in Kyiv, meant that the results were better than anyone could have expected.

Salvador Sobral from Portugal captured the hearts of the world and emerged the winner of this year’s trophy with his song, Amar Pelos Dois. We have already said “Ola amigos novos” to our new host broadcaster colleagues as the preparations are well underway for the Eurovision Song Contest 2018!

However, our next stop is to say “gamarjoba!” to Tbilisi, Georgia for the Junior Eurovision Song Contest; we’ll be loosening our belts because we hear the food is amazing...