When the coverage of Boaty McBoatface went viral, Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) faced a lot of potential egg on its Boaty face.
The options were not great for NERC. Either it could ignore the overwhelming choice of the general public, or name its highly prestigious and multi-million-pound investment polar research vessel with a humorous name it really didn’t feel portrayed the seriousness of its work.
Whoever recommended this competition must have been a little concerned, to say the least, but the compromise is a stroke of genius.
Although Boaty will not be the research ship’s name, who could object to Sir David Attenborough getting the honour?
He’s a legendary broadcaster who has been the cornerstone of fantastic wildlife programming for 60 years, with the worldwide recognition associated with that, giving the prestige needed for both the vessel and the organisation.
And, to recognise the huge public response (with nearly 125,000 votes), a key piece of technology and a truly exceptional undersea exploration vessel has been named Boaty McBoatface. We at MobasEngage believe not only is this much more fitting for a crew to engage with, but also a great compromise fitting of the challenges of the organisation and the public interest that has been generated as a result of the vote.
As with everything, but especially in the social sphere, thinking on your feet and working with the unforeseen can deliver great results, even if they are unexpected.
With nine in 10 businesses using or planning to use social media, a tactical and thoughtful approach is key. Mobas has the expertise to guide you through these uncharted waters, so if you’re looking for people with the skills to help your organisation navigate, shape and implement social media strategy drop us a line at at say.hello@mobas.com or call us on +44 (0) 1223 841699.
